Dark Deception
by Casmilla
Summary: He was ancient, all powerful, even cruel. She was young, impetuous, and bright. Yet she was broken almost beyond repair. Could he convince her of his love when his very soul demanded the kill?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This book is set as the third installment of the series, mostly because I have only read the first two. It turned out to be a little longer than I had intended. Enjoy!

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**Dark Deception

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The earth rumbled as life coursed through Dominov Fane. His heart pumped precious blood through his veins, cleansing and purifying his ancient body. Burrowed deep in the ground, with his first breath he inhaled the healing earth. The ground above him shuddered and groaned, then opened to reveal the familiarity of his home. Sweet renewal, a second chance.

Dominov rose from the earth a phantom of the night, a predator more than three thousand years old. His mind jumped to life, instantly roaming over his surroundings, searching for any signs of change. Superhuman senses leapt to attention, taking in the night for the first time in two hundred years. The need to feed, the solitary emotion that he felt, arose in him. Instantly the darkness pressed in around him, clawing dangerously at his mind. Dominov at once was forced to confront the cavernous darkness in his soul. As the oldest of his race he was the closest to changing, to accepting the demon within. With strength that few other Carpathians possessed, he forced his mind to think of his lifemate, the unknown woman that was waiting for him on some obscure corner of the earth. He had delayed his own death so he could find her.

But first there was the primal need to feed. It was necessity, an action with no emotion behind it, yet one that was a threat to his very being. The very moment he tasted blood, Dominov knew that the dark pit in him would demand he take it all, command him to end the human's life. He was determined to find his lifemate before allowing such a thing to happen. Time was of the essence and he had lost two hundred years.

Allowing his body to dissolve into thin mist, Dominov left his sleeping chamber and floated through the ancient castle that was his home. The grandeur of his home had not completely faded over his absence, though a thick layer of dust and cobwebs covered most of his material possessions. Gold and silver lay unbothered through the years and exquisite paintings and frescoes still adorned the walls. But all material possessions had been so far from mind, his only thoughts of his lifemate.

Dominov left his home and materialized on the soft ground. The biting chill of winter held no effect on him. His mind searched his surroundings with deadly ease. The wolf pack had deserted him as new generations lived and elders perished, the youth did not know him and thus deserted him in favor of another, perhaps Mikhail. Yet Dominov did not mind. He did not prolong his life for wolves.

A growl sounded from low in his throat as he fought the ever present urge to feed. The hollow pit threatened to expand and consume him with every wasted moment. If his search took much longer, he would be forced to walk into the sun and rid the earth of the threat he posed. If he turned the chance of Carpathian hunters being able to destroy him was so low it was nearly impossible. But he would not succumb yet. He materialized into light air once more and sped off in the direction of the village.

Dominov flew through the dense forest completely devoid of emotion. The world that passed him was bland, colorless. He was convinced that there was no joy to be found in the Carpathian Mountains anymore. If a sweep of the village proved in vain, he would be forced on a campaign around the world, then eternal sleep. Dominov was no longer strong enough to continue the cycle of leaping through time, something that only he had ever dared, waking every hundred years to search for a lifemate, then giving himself back up to the healing earth. There were none left who knew of his existence. All thought he had long given himself up to the sun; Dominov had deceived even the most powerful of his race.

The village appeared before him, blanketed thickly by forest and fog. He wound between the streets and homes, scoping out the humans inhabitants for someone to feed from and, as always, his lifemate. He slowed when he saw a group of fit young men and materialized next to them, planting memories and illusions of his friendship in their minds. He also offered up the illusion of his clothing, finding covering himself to be a civil uniformity he had not the time for. He drank deeply from each one of them, forcing himself to take only what he needed from each one, then left without bothering to see to their health. Dominov sped off once more, spiraling his way through the town, but in vain. There was nothing to yield his search.

He wound back into the forest, careful not to venture too close to another Carpathian's home, and materialized in a small clearing. The dark stain on his soul was spreading quickly and he needed a moment away from humans to quell his evil. There was such evil blanketing the Carpathian Mountains and he was certain that it all emanated from him. Dominov allowed the sounds of the night to penetrate his mind and align his thoughts. Crickets chirped quickly in the nearby underbrush, leaves crunched under the feet of animals, the wind swirled calmly through the branches, wolves' howled calls through the mountains. All the sounds melded together to form a sorrowful melody, all crying out for Dominov's pain.

There seemed to be so much darkness in the world, all of it pressing down on him, luring him into its tangled web of evil. He shut his eyes tightly almost as if he could block out the evil by doing so. His need to feed, his drive kill, was quickly pushing him over the edge. He needed something to anchor him to reality. The melodic sounds whispered softly in his ears, a faint buzzing at first. Dominov shook his head to try and rid himself of such frivolity. Yet the sounds grew and meshed in his mind to form a sound, beauty. They blended and swelled until the somber tune alone pulled at his mind. His thoughts of darkness were thrust aside and he opened his eyes in wonder. He _was_ hearing a melody, soft notes on a piano.

Without thought to the contrary, Dominov dissolved into mist and launched himself in the air towards the sweet sound. His mind latched onto it, the notes beckoned him nearer in a calming tease, leading him down a spiraling path to the woods. The sound seemed to take him on a wild chase through the woods, pulling at his mind with notes that never grew above a whisper, softly pulling at his mind in an alluring way, and yet threatening to break his very will. Suddenly the music lost its haze and he heard the soft, tender notes in his ears rather than filling his mind.

A large chalet stood before him, surrounded by the dense forest. Light glowed through a window on the top floor and he floated lazily up to it. Dominov had never before seen a building of the sort, or the eerie light that flowed from the top window. Through the glass pane stood a large black grand piano in the middle of an empty ballroom. Alena Saunders, a young girl even by human standards, sat before it. Long brown hair cascaded down her back and her fingers danced along the ivory notes with expert ease. Her eyes were closed as the melody formed in her brain. Her mind was overtaken with the sorrowful song.

Yet Dominov saw neither the room nor the girl seated within it. His mind was so overtaken by the simple sweets sounds of her music that he could think of nothing else. He once more closed his eyes and listened to the sound of her song. It played within him, reminding him of the oppressive black stain on his soul. Yet it was not haunting. The notes strung together formed sorrow, her unconscious sympathy for his pain. The soft rhythm built to a heart wrenching climax, and Dominov felt true emotional sting in his heart. Alena's song evoked such power, wrapped him tightly in a blanket of inescapable emotion. He was unsure if what he was feeling was his or planted there by her song but it ceased to matter in his mind. By the time her fingers tenderly touched the last notes there were tears stinging Dominov's eyes. A thousand years ago he would have been ashamed at such a display of weakness, but now he did not care that he felt such pain and sorrow that it could produce tears. The fact remained: _he felt_.

The wave of emotion was so strong and so fierce that Dominov was forced to take several minutes to gain control of himself once Alena had finished playing. His heart pounded in his ears. Pain, true emotional pain, stabbed at his heart. He felt the burden of three thousand years of darkness spent trying to survive alone. Dark memories of the deaths of his brother and parents, things that he could not feel emotion for at the time, came swooping down on him with unbelievable force. He feared such a strong surge of emotion, yet at the same time Dominov reveled in the ability to feel at all.

When had finally corralled this sudden rush of emotion, he opened his eyes to find the source of the music that had just held his mind captive to its sweet sounds. He gazed through the window to see young Alena sitting before the black grand piano. Her fingers no longer danced across the keys. Instead she sat with her chin in the palm of her hand, a pensive look far too serious for her adolescence drawn across her face. Thick wavy brown hair cascaded around her shoulders, veiling half her face from his view. It was then he stopped. He saw the rich chocolate color of her hair, the sun kissed caramel highlights that shown in the light. He saw color.

Dominov reached out with his mind to brush her thoughts. Alena certainly had a psychic gift, her thoughts were not spilling out into the air around them as normal humans did, but her gift was weak and her mind easy to break into. He touched her mind carefully, testing to see her reaction. The brush was so light that she did not notice his touch. Her mind was a complicated swirl of emotion and, most noticeably, oppressive loneliness. Sorrow and darkness ebbed at part of her mind, though Dominov was certain that these were not her thoughts. They were his. Regardless of how weak Alena's gift may be, she was still able to reach through the night and feel his mind's sorrow, then transfer it into song.

Suddenly Alena rose from the bench and moved away from the instrument. Panic gripped Dominov. He could not have Alena leave the piano, fearing that she would take away his feelings and color when she did. Somewhere deep in his mind he knew that this was not the case. The color and emotion were the result of him finding his lifemate, this girl, but such was the strength of his new feelings.

_Do not stop._ He growled the imperious demand through her mind. Alena was made aware of his presence for the first time. Her body tensed and her large brown eyes narrowed to search her surroundings with suspicion and fear. She heard the Dominov's voice, deep and thickly accented, cut across her mind with intimidating masculine force. Her heart instantly beat faster with fear and anxiety.

Alena had known since her childhood that she was different, special even. She could never read a person's mind, but she could always detect their emotions. She knew what a person was felling, or if their emotions were strong enough, she could often times tell why they felt it. And she knew that it was the reason she was never accepted among her family. But never in her young life had Alena experienced speaking with someone through a psychic bond. The idea that someone could be that powerful terrified her. In her fear she moved closer to the fireplace, intent on using the metal poker for defense.

The moment she stood Dominov was both swept away by her beauty and appalled by their cultural differences. The denim jeans that curved around her hips and tight shirt that clung to her small figure, though both worked to reveal the glorious beauty of her body to him, repulsed him. Not only had he never seen a woman dress in a man's clothing like that, but he had never seen those types of clothes at all. It was improper for a woman to garb herself in such clothing.

Still in her mind, Dominov heard her thought and laughed despite himself. _Do you believe that metal stick will drive me away, la bella? _The question drawled across her mind with terrifying ease and relaxation.

Alena paused, her hand poised over the handle of the metal pike, and swallowed hard. In petrified terror she glanced frantically around the room. There was nothing for her to see, simple shadows made by her furniture, the single window frosting over with winter mist. In that instant she wished for a more powerful gift, a way to protect herself from this unseen stranger.

_Do you fear me, la bella_? His voice, so powerful and masculine, seemed to run over her mind with mocking ease. He surged further into her mind, this time allowing Alena to feel his presence. Dominov flowed softly through her memories and emotions, coiled his mind tightly around her fear. For one terrible, heart stopping moment, he reveled in her terror, exalted in his power over her. In that instant he seemed to far gone to be saved, too many dark and lonely years had pushed so far towards evil that not even his lifemate could save him.

Dominov's darkness washed over Alena, coated her mind thickly. She had never felt such power, never known it existed anywhere in the world. She gasped, unable to handle the oppressive weight in her mind. At the sound of the girl's pain, he withdrew immediately. Comfort washed over him. The long years may have damaged him, but at least Dominov knew that he could cause her no harm.

"Who are you?" Alena called out with a strong voice, though she felt anything but that.

_Do not fear me, la bella. I am Dominov Fane. Tell me your name._ With his mind he sent out waves of reassurance and warmth. He dared not reveal himself to her completely knowing that her already shaken human mind would reject him completely if he did. Yet there was another matter that deterred him. In his savage mind probe he discovered she was truly young, a girl of only seventeen. By the laws of his people he was unable to take action until her eighteenth birthday. The only question was whether he could hold out that long. Strong emotions were already bubbling with dangerous power.

Alena reacted from his soft mind touch. Tension eased from her body slightly, though she could not say why. Dominov tried again. _Tell me your name._ Her fear of him did not disperse under his imperious commands. He tried a different approach, unwilling to leave her presence without at least knowing her name. _What is your name, little bella? Is it such a terrible thing to tell me your name, even when I promise that I will not harm you?_

Unexplainable warmth flowed through her. She tried to fight the voice in her mind, this Dominov Fane, but he easily overpowered her. "Alena," she spoke aloud.

_Greetings, little Alena_. Hearing her name brought comfort to him, even let him overlook her refusal of his orders. As he touched her mind once more, he caught an uncensored thought. _Just because I'm still a minor doesn't make me little._ His laughter echoed through her mind, surprising Alena at his sudden change. Dominov marveled that he could still laugh. _When_ _the two of us are compared you are no older than a newborn_, Alena. He stressed the use of her name.

Alena's first response was indignation at his mocking laughter. "Then if that's true why are you hiding?" Dominov's laughter died away immediately. Instantly fear rippled through her. She hadn't meant to encourage a serial killer.

_No, la bella, I truly meant I will not harm you. I am simply not in an ideal situation to arrive at your home_. The strength of his psychic ability scared her. Not only could this Dominov communicate telepathically, but he could also catch her thoughts without her knowledge. His power dwarfed hers. Yet there was something intriguing about him that made her want to learn more. His way of speaking was so archaic and proper, so different. It led her to believe that everything else about him was probably that way, old-timey and gentlemanly.

Dominov had to smile. In a way, a distant way, Alena had invited him into her home. She wanted to see him. But he could not take that chance. His emotions ran so strong that he was afraid of what he might do. Not hurt her, he was convinced that even at three thousand years of age he was not so far gone that she was in any physical danger from him. But with every darting glance of her eyes, every flick of her hair, every time the light shone on her delicate features, emotions coursed through his body with painful force. Desire. Longing. The predatory need to have her. It was becoming too strong.

_No, not tonight_, he repeated. A part of her innermost being sighed in disappointment, so deep in her unconscious mind that Alena herself was not aware of it. _Though perhaps tomorrow night it will be possible for us to converse properly. _

"You mean an actual person, not just a disembodied voice?"

_Yes_. Dominov thought about leaving then, about placing safeguards around her home to ensure her safety and returning to his ancient home. Then he felt a nagging sensation. _La bella, why was it that you looked so pensive earlier?_

Alena paused thoughtfully. "The truth," though it seemed to intimate to tell this stranger, "was that I was just sitting here alone when I felt this horrible, all consuming sorrow. It was like a life was on its way to ending but dragging out its suffering as long as possible. It was so terrible. And then I played it."

She had felt his pain and the melody formed from that. Dominov hardly saw the connection though it seemed so simple to her. He delved deeper into her mind and saw her enormous talent. Music lived in her, her mind and soul overrun with various melodic tunes. Songs that would form from her fingertips without having to be written down, looking at a sheet of music and bringing to life in an instant, hearing a song and knowing how to play it. Therein lay her power, though only Dominov saw it. Her ability to manipulate and create emotions through song.

_An extraordinary gift, little one._ He instantly felt her heart surge with joy. His own spirits lifted knowing that he had made her happy. _Now rest, la bella._

He withdrew from her mind though he followed her every movements. Inside the house Alena crossed the hall to her bedroom, thoroughly shaken yet intrigued with this new stranger. She pulled open the door and flipped on the lights, already pulling her shirt over her head. It was late and Helen, the woman placed in charge of Alena by her father and the only human contact she ever truly had, had been asleep for a few hours. By the time she had removed her pants and pulled on a flannel shirt and pair of pants to fend off the biting chill of the early Carpathian winter, exhaustion was gnawing at her. She barely had the energy to turn off the lights and climb into bed.

Dominov misted slowly into the room. He had witnessed her undressing, though he knew he should not have. He could not tear his eyes away from her beautiful figure, so soft and delicate and feminine. It was for her protection that he had sent her to sleep. Dominov at least hoped that while she was unconscious he would have a better chance of fighting his own instincts. He was wrong.

His mind reached out to hers, flowed easily through the haze of unconsciousness. With dangerous ease he wove a dream, an erotic fantasy, into her mind: A dark shadow materializing next to her bed. He pulled at the blankets and revealed her body, climbing easily onto the bed beside her. His fingers ran gently over her skin beginning at the base of her neck and over the flannel covering her breasts. In her mind Alena's eyes fluttered open and she saw Dominov's face above her. He radiated of desire and need. He bent his head towards hers, holding his over hers for an agonizing moment. Then he closed the gap between them, a gentle, tender kiss meant to fill her with longing even in her dream. Dominov's fingers released each button, one at a time beginning at the top. He ran his hands over her youthful body, feeling it come to life beneath his touch. His lips caressed her neck, moved down her chest, and relished the feel her breasts and the taste of her skin.

It was when he imagined sliding off her pants that he stopped. The laws of his people came back to him. He sighed and released her mind from his hold. She would remember this as an erotic dream of her own.

He materialized by her bed and gazed down at Alena's sleeping figure. Primal instincts rose in him. A need to claim what was rightfully his. A soft moan escaped her as she still reacted to the dream. His body's reaction was immediate. His need and desire. Slowly, painfully, Dominov forced himself to set up safeguards and he leave her in peace.

_Tomorrow_, he promised both of them, _I will court you as I should. And you will love me_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: First I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed. Your feedback is always well appreciated. Second, if you like this story enough, I have plenty of ideas to create my own little circle of Carpathians that I would love to write about. Just keep me posted on your thoughts. Enjoy!**

**I know I didn't get too much accomplished in this chapter, but I didn't want to make it too lengthy. I'll add the second part of chapter 2 soon.**

"Alena, you are not paying attention!" Helen's voice cracked midway through the afternoon hours. She was standing before a blackboard, her straw colored hair knotted in a tight bun at the base of her throat, a stern look of aggravation plastered on her hard features. Alena sat a desk before her, papers scattered, chewing absentmindedly on her pen cap. A dreamy expression clouded her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Madam," Alena began her best French, which was choppy with poor grammar, "but I wasn't listening."

Her French caretaker and tutor glared. "That is quite apparent," Helen snarled with a thick French accent. Though Alena was normally an attentive, interested student, Helen often found the girl trying at times. She had no concept of patience or learning when it came to languages and math, her only thoughts revolving around her music. Sometimes she would even hum a melody while Helen was speaking, hardly aware she was doing it. Today was turning out to be just that way. "Now if you would please stop daydreaming and focus on your lesson! Decline these verbs." She rapped the blackboard with a manicured fingernail.

Alena removed the pen from her mouth and tried to complete her work, but she found it increasingly difficult. She normally at least put effort into her school work. But her mind kept wandering back to the dream she had the night before, the strange, intense, erotic dream. His deep voice kept sounding through her mind, the intensity of the previous night replaying every time she closed her eyes. How could one voice have such an effect on her?

"Madam," Alena suddenly snapped her book closed, "could you teach me Italian?"

"What nonsense is this? This is a French lesson. You are to be taught French, as you have since you were little. And none of it seems have to made an impression!" Helen's irritation was clear.

"Then maybe it's time for a change," Alena persisted.

"Your father has instructed that I teach you French, I will teach you French." The involvement of Alena's father in a situation automatically meant the final word on the matter. Yet today Alena was not to be stopped.

"But he isn't here, is he? He'll never know if you each me Italian for a day."

Helen stopped, a frown firmly locked in place. She had only been in charge of the girl for two three, ever since Alena had been moved out into the Carpathian Mountains. Helen had only met the girl's father once, Jonathon Saunders, an elite business man making a fortune in real estate. He had only instructed that Alena (or "the girl" as he referred to her) be kept firmly to her studies, limited time playing only the piano, restricted usage of televisions and computers, and that she was never, ever to be in the presence of a man. He had also informed Helen that he would send her interims requesting "the girl's" behavior and studies every month. Helen hadn't really understood all these rules and regulations, but who was she to bite the hand that fed her?

But she did understand the situation well enough. It had been three months and Jonathon Saunders had not written or called his daughter. Helen had yet to see elite Mr. Saunders acknowledge Alena at all or even saw that she was alive. To make matters worse, Alena's eighteenth birthday was in a week and she was supposed to play a concert for her father and three siblings. But judging by past experiences, Helen knew that Jonathon was not going to arrive. She hadn't had the courage to tell Alena yet, nor did she want to see Alena's reaction when only her caretaker was there to hear her breathtaking talents, but she certain that somehow Alena already knew her father's opinions of her.

Helen sighed in defeat. She could at least do this for Alena. "Very well. What would you like to know?"

Alena's immediate smile instantly lit up the room. It was the smile of innocence. "What does _la bella _mean?"

Helen frowned at the frivolity of her questions. "It means 'beautiful one.' Where did you hear it?"

"I heard it on TV yesterday," Alena lied. A pink flush covered her nose instantly. She was not accustomed to lying and not at all comfortable with it.

"No doubt on one of your trashy American shows. I do not like you watching those."

An impish grin formed on Alena's mouth. "You mean the ones that say, 'You are not the father!' right? Don't worry, no of them are articulate enough to speak Italian. They can't even speak English good." It was a deliberate pun, but Helen's frown only deepened. "That's a term of endearment, right? Meant to convey feelings more than just friendly?" Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment.

"Yes." Helen was now suspicious. Alena normally shied away from talk of intimate things, the conversations only made her realize how completely alone she was.

"Do you think you could teach me Italian?"

"You haven't even the patience to learn English!" With that Helen forced the spirited girl back to her French lesson.

Alena was actually glad to turn back to her French lesson. The idea that there existed a man who desired her terrified her. She had never even been alone in a room with a man who was not her father or brother before. She had no concept of the idea of love or how relationships worked. Alena had never seen a working relationship, her parents divorced shortly after her birth and her caretakers were always single elder educators. But then there was the chance that he really didn't care for her. That to Dominov Alena was simply a toy, a plaything, a rich little naïve girl that was easy for him to prey on. That would be the worst fate.

Alena prayed that wasn't it. Dominov had sounded so sincere when he had spoken to her, like every word was meant for her and her alone. But hadn't he been dangerous? He could invade her mind so easily, hold her captive their. Alena wasn't normally one for indecision, she never had the chance to be. All of her decisions were made by Helen and her father. But in this she was independent, and she had no idea of her situation. But she would find out tonight, when Dominov returned to her.

The sun was setting when Alena was finally rid of Helen's oppressive presence. Her schooling and music practices were long over and Helen was relaxing with a book in front of the fireplace in her room.

Alena stood in front of the heavy wooden front door. Her teeth raked at her bottom lip. This place was a prison, another building meant to confine and restrain her. She had always been an energetic child, a handful to her caretakers, but Alena had never been rebellious enough to go against her father's wishes and walk out. The idea of even sneaking out seemed so unbelievable, but Dominov's voice kept playing in her mind. He said he would be back tonight, so where was he? He hadn't seem like the kind of man who would stand a girl up, even though he was the first man she had ever been alone with, even in the sanctity of her mind.

It had occurred to Alena ever since she had spoken to him that she truly had no concept of the outside world. She had lived her entire life behind walls set up by her father, abiding by rules that were established by Mr. Jonathon Saunders. All because he had said so. What did she really know of Italian, or of the Carpathian Mountains, or the people here? All Alena knew was the view of the woods from her bedroom window. That was simply not enough.

Swallowing her fear, Alena pulled a long wool coat around her and stepped out of the house as quietly as she could. She immediately inhaled the crisp winter air, allowing it to sting freshly in her lungs. Snowflakes drifted softly from the sky. Alena smiled and caught one on her tongue. Then she started off down the path leading away from the chalet, the dirt path spotted by snowflakes.

The woods were peaceful. The wind brushed softly through the air, stirring the trees, steering the gently falling snowflakes. Animals rustled through the underbrush creating a low rumble. Far off in the mountains, too far away to scare Alena, a wolf howled a single longing note. The sounds came together to form a beautiful symphony in Alena's mind.

Alena's chocolate hair was flecked with white, melting snowflakes. The air was chilly and the breeze added a bite, but it was refreshing for Alena just to be outside alone. She wasn't sure how much time had passed as she wandered unbothered through the woods, but soon the sun sank far below the mountains with only a warm reddish glow left above the peaks. The snow was falling harder and faster so that it blanketed the ground. It struck her then how completely alone and lost she was. She did not know how to get home.

Panic struck. The reality of the situation hit hard. Alena was alone in the middle of a snowstorm in the Carpathian Mountains with howling wolves. The snow had fallen thickly enough so that she couldn't see the path nor did she know where to go it she could. There was no way to contact Helen, since Alena's father had never allowed her to have a cellular phone, and no one was around for miles.

The thought of Dominov came quickly to her mind. If only she could contact him the way he could her. But her mental gifts were simply not that strong. She wrapped her arms around herself; the idea of being alone had suddenly made her very cold. A wolf howled again, though this time the sound seemed closer, more frightening and less musical. A sudden mass of fog drifted eerily through the trees. It enveloped her surroundings until she could barely see the trees. Her heart raced in her chest, pounded so strongly in her hears it threatened to make her deaf.

Stories of the Carpathian Mountains had reached her isolated chalet no matter how hard Helen tried to keep them away. Alena knew of the deadly storms that suddenly hit the village even in the dead of winter. She knew of the casualty rates, most of the deaths under mysterious circumstances or unexplained. And she knew of the locals, tall, dark, mysterious people, cold, harsh men, and the suspicions of the many villagers and travelers. She had heard tales of the vampires here, and she knew this fog was not right for winter. She was going to die out here, and she knew it.

"It is dangerous to be alone out here." A deep, masculine voice whispered out of the fog. Alena could not tell whether it was in her mind or out loud.

"What?" She managed to whisper as cold fear gripped her. She could not see the man, only hear his voice.

"You should not be out here alone, _la bella_. It is dangerous. There are wolves out here waiting for an innocent girl to wander in." Relief flooded her body. Alena knew that voice, that term. The dark silhouette of a man formed within the dense fog and Dominov appeared from it. Alena was struck instantly by his appearance. He stood a whole head taller than her and he was definitely older, although she knew he would be. Pale skin contrasted nicely with his dark brown hair and nearly black eyes. High, prominent features, broad shoulders, and lean muscle formed an intimidating wall of his chest and arms. Dominov Fane was intense, dangerous, and fierce.

"Are you one of them?" Alena asked in forced voice. She wasn't sure if she was safer with him or without him.

"I can assure you that I mean you no harm, _cucciola mia_. Sadly there are others in these woods that might think differently." There was the slightest trace of amusement in his response. Alena shivered, though not from the cold. Dominov seemed so predatory in his grim amusement. "Yet you do not trust me." He answered her thoughts with impossible ease. Her mind was completely open to him even with her barriers in place.

"You don't look like I thought you would." Alena explained lamely. She had known just from his voice that he would be handsome and powerful, but she never thought he would look so lethal.

"And you are more beautiful than I could have imagined." Dominov professed it with all sincerity, although his voice remained perfectly controlled. The sight of her really did take his breath away, with snow swirling around her, white flecks in her long, thick hair, droplets clinging to her eyelashes, her eyes wide and innocent. He had a feeling that he could forget anything simply by looking into her eyes. "But then, you have been thinking about me?"

Alena blushed madly. His question was appeared a gentle inquiry, but there was an intimate undertone. A suggestive brush from his mind. And she was unused to this closeness and implied intimacy.

A mounting darkness drew Dominov's attention, just as her panic had drawn him to her. Something malevolent was growing in his homeland, seated deeply in the mountains. He could not be sure whether it was a true vampire or his own darkness threatening to break free. At three thousand years of age there was no Carpathian older and only one who had the possibility of surpassing Dominov's powers. And Dominov was certain that Constantine, his only true friend left, had not yet turned or he would have felt the shattering, all-consuming evil.

"These woods are not safe," Dominov repeated with more force. "Allow me to escort you to your home." It was not a request but a command.

"I'd rather not," Alena rejected quickly. There was something about him that scared her, or maybe it was her own desire to spend with him. Whatever it was, she was not used to this and she did not always like the unknown.

For a moment a shadow passed over his face. Dominov's perfect, dark features wavered into something of malevolence. How dare she undermine his authority?! But millennia of self discipline won out and the shadow passed as quickly as it had come. He had to remind himself that societies change and it had been two hundred years since he had last been part of society. Still, Alena inhaled sharply and took a step back in fear. Her innocence intrigued him in a dangerous, alluring way. There was something so erotic about knowing his life mate was truly pure.

"Very well. But we must move to a safer area." By that he meant more secluded, but he knew if he said that she would be even more reluctant to join him.

Alena did not want to say yes. She was afraid of being alone with him, unused to the attention, but his voice was so deep and compelling and beautiful that she could not reject him. Besides, it was a simple act of courtesy to ensure she was not lost. "Ok."

"Very good. This way." Dominov bowed courteously to her and extended his hand towards the mist. Instantly a path seemed to appear out of nowhere and the fog dispersed.

"I swear I couldn't find that," Alena defended herself, her voice filled with surprise.

"I believe you." It had been his powers that cleared the fog and shoved the snow from the path. He was tempted to take her by the hand and lead her away, but the physical contact might inspire more possessive, powerful emotions. He still wanted her to reach her eighteenth birthday before he claimed. Allowing his hand to fall limply at his side, Dominov walked beside Alena in the direction of his home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all who reviewed. It's always nice to hear what you think. This is the second part of Chapter 2 and, as promised, will have a lot more of the main characters interacting. And, as requested, more action as the plot unfolds. Have fun and Enjoy! **

"It's amazing," Alena whispered staring up into the clear Carpathian sky. It was a breathtaking sight. Millions of brilliant stars dotted the velvet sky. The tips of trees outlined the vision, framing its perfection. She was lying in the middle of the clearing, her hands behind her head, on a spot of dry, luscious grass.

Dominov had led her down a dirt path in the middle of the snow covered forest into a small clearing. Despite the heavy snowfall, the grass in this clearing was warm and dry. Alena was tentative at first, staring into the sky, remarking on the clouds keeping her from seeing the stars. Dominov had taken the opportunity to please her and cleared the sky, pushing the clouds to another part of the region.

"When I was younger I tried to count the stars, but I didn't get very far. I didn't know what number came after one hundred. Of course my counting then was more like one, two, five, ninety-nine, one hundred," she admitted with an embarrassed giggle. She paused as though waiting for a response from him. His eyes studied her, the childlike amazement on her face, the glint of wonder in her eyes. He suddenly had the urge to lie next to her and count the stars as though he were a fledgling again. The idea of her having that affect on him was enough to bring a smile to his face.

"It is rare for a foreigner to live this deeply in the mountains. Why are you out here, _cara_?" Dominov could have easily read her to mind to discover her entire past, but he wanted a bond of trust between them. He wanted her to _want_ to tell him.

"Well," she paused, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. "My father is an elite businessman in America. He married my mother before he made his fortune and they had children pretty soon after. I have a twin brother, an older brother, and an older sister. Mercedes is the oldest and my father's favorite." There was a trace of longing in her voice. "She travels the world for his business and she alone is going to inherit it. She's so good at it." Dominov was shocked to hear her voice lined with hurt and spite. Alena was suddenly overcome with emotions and memories that she wasn't going to continue her story.

"What pains you, _tesorina_?" His voice was low and compelling. Beautiful and impossible to resist.

"She and I are the same," she choked out. "I mean, she's better at it than I am, but she can hear people's thoughts! That's why she's so good at this business thing!" Her voice became low and tears welled up in her eyes. "My father always hated me. My parents used to fight about me all the time, how my crying upset the entire household. How I could laugh and people would feel such joy. How I could play one tune and change people's emotions. They said it wasn't natural. My father blamed my mother and she left when I was three. I used to want Mercedes to help me, but she learned to control herself and father never knew of her gift. All I have is a curse!"

Instant fury swept through Dominov. The wind picked up and clouds began to form. Fangs exploded in his mouth. He wished he could see this man, Jonathon Saunders, and his daughter, Mercedes. He would teach them what a curse was, what a monster was.

"The weather is so strange here," Alena remarked, suddenly somber, pulling her coat tighter around herself. She looked up at Dominov, and for a moment she saw savage rage clouding his eyes, radiating from his mind. She knew it was not directed at her, but it made her recoil all the same. She shut her eyes for a moment, wondering if there had really been a red primal glint in his eyes, but when she opened them he appeared perfectly calm and unbothered. The brewing storm immediately died away. She narrowed her eyes at him, her childish mind jumping to stories of vampires that ran rampant through the countryside. Dominov found himself smiling at her thoughts.

"What of your twin brother, _cara_? Does he have a gift?"

"No. And for that he gets anything he wants. Do you know where he is right now? Where my _twin brother_ is? He's in Paris, getting ready for the party of the year all to celebrate his eighteenth birthday in one week! And I'm stuck in the middle of the Carpathian Mountains, practicing for a concert that my father is never going to hear! He's not coming. I know that." She sounded so desperate, so upset that, without thinking, Dominov sat on the grass next to her, sending out waves of reassurance and warmth. It was all he could do to keep from sweeping her into his arms and taking her far away, to a place where her family could never hurt her again. Subconsciously, Alena picked up on his intentions and took comfort in his presence.

Dominov could not be completely upset by this news. Although he was furious with her family for abandoning her, her eighteenth birthday was fast approaching and then he could claim her for his own. With his iron will and strict self control learned from three thousand years of fighting the darkness within himself, he could wait that long. He silently vowed that he would give her the love and family that she never had and longed for so openly.

After a short pause Alena looked over at him. "What about you? You must have a family somewhere."

Dominov took a deep breath. It had been centuries since he had last seen anyone in his family and he was not sure that any blood relatives still survived. For a moment he considered side stepping the conversation and reserving his family for later. Yet when he looked into her mind he saw her need for him to speak to her, to tell her something personal so that she did not feel so exposed to him. "Well, I was born and raised here in the Carpathian Mountains. I had a younger brother, Emilian. It is common among my people to wait for long years between having children. That was the case in my family. I was an adult by the time Emilian was born and I was traveling the world. He and I were never very close, but he died several years ago." Emilian, who was Dominov's age, had turned vampire nearly four centuries ago and been killed by Filip, whom he had shared a blood bond with. Filip had lived only long enough to deliver the news, then was murdered by human radicals claiming he was a vampire.

"I'm sorry," Alena said softly. She could understand being alone.

There was no need for him to continue. She was content to let the conversation fall, but looking into her eyes made him want to relay his life's story to her. He wanted her to know who and what he was and accept him for that. Yet since he could not tell everything, he would say what he could. "My parents died many years ago. They were happy with one another, but my father was killed in a tragedy and my mother followed shortly after. Unfortunately that is very often the way of our people. I do have a younger brother, of sorts. His name is Nicolai and although it has been many years since I saw him last, I am far closer to him than I was with Emilian." Dominov discovered Nicolai when he was a human infant being held for experiments by a vampire. He killed the vampire and had no choice but to convert little Nicolai, not knowing whether it would work or kill the child. It was against the laws of his race to convert a human, but it was successful and Nicolai was now nine hundred. Although he would never be as powerful as other Carpathians, Dominov had kept close watch on his progress and learned that Nicolai was a successful artist.

"What do you mean 'my people.'?"

"The natives here tend to have a separate culture. You said you are from America?" He had to change the subject to keep from revealing anything too early. It had been years since he had spoken of his family, but it seemed to come naturally when he was with her.

"Yeah." Dominov remembered America. It was a fledgling country when he last heard of it two hundred years ago. He read in her mind the wealth of America and the shifting culture. How much had changed in two hundred years?

"Is your clothing American?" His voice carried a reprimanding bite, a clear disapproval that made her giggle. Surprisingly, he was not angered by her clear disrespect. Hearing her happy made him happy.

"Yes, what's wrong with it?" Alena smiled widely at his tone, not noticing that he was surveying her body.

"That is clothing for a man. Women should not dress in a men's garb." It was a stern statement not up for debate.

Alena's melodic laughter filled the clearing, washed over his mind. "So women can't wear jeans? That's such a sexist thing to say. Next you're going to say that women shouldn't go to college or have jobs or be independent."

Dominov was struck. He had never heard such ideas about women and did not know how to respond without alarming her. He was saved from thinking up a valid response by Alena continuing.

"What about music? Should women be kept from that too?" It was a mocking question. A smiled played firmly at her lips.

Dominov easily saw another way out. "What about your music? How is it possible that one so young could be so talented?"

Alena flushed. She was unused to people referring to her music as a talent. Her father had always shunned and berated her for it. "I've always thought and lived in music. For as long as I can remember that's been my life. I think in terms of melodies and songs. Sometimes when I'm overwhelmed or confused, I organize my thoughts into a song and that's my release." She paused but he sensed more was coming. "Sometimes, when I'm overloaded with emotion, I can make believe things when I play, or when I sing. I'm not allowed to sing anymore because my last caretaker jumped off the roof when I was singing some operatic song. She was abusive and she had hit me and I was so angry and afraid. There was nothing else for me to do but sing and make things better, that's how I deal with things. My father blamed me, but I never meant for that to happen."

Dominov studied her intently. Her head dropped shamefully, refusing to look into his eyes. Her fingers trembled from the memories and he had the feeling that her father had taken to physical abuse with her. After so many years of such abuse, Alena truly believed that she was evil and cursed. Dominov curled his fingers beneath her chin, lifted her face slowly so that she looked into his eyes.

"You are not cursed," he stated firmly. "What you have is a gift, an amazing talent. Your family is simply incapable of understanding. It has been my experience that humans feel threatened by what they do not understand and therefore shun it and attempt to force it into their definition of normalcy. They've robbed you of love and affection for so many years. You, _tesorina_, deserve far more than they could ever give you."

There was a burning passion in his eyes so strong that it was spilling over into her mind. Her breath caught in her throat, but she did not shy away. Dominov was different, Alena felt it. The way he was so understanding of her. He did, after all, have his own gifts and talents, although far stronger than hers. There was something strange about how her heart beat quickened as he touched her. She felt she could lose herself in his eyes, those dark pools of onyx. She had no idea what she was feeling, yet something in her mind told her that it could not be love. Her entire life experience had taught her that she was not worthy of such emotion.

Dominov instantly linked onto her thoughts. "Somewhere in this world there exists a man who will love you so unconditionally that he will never let you go. If you knew this to be true, would you accept him regardless of his faults?"

Alena squirmed uncomfortably. Their encounter had turned to something far more intimate than she was comfortable with. There was such passion and intensity in his eyes that it scared her. But what scared her more was an awakening within herself that reached out to him with the same need that he had for her. In that instant she wanted nothing more than for him to kiss her. Terrified of that feeling, of his feelings, she whispered out a response.

"I don't have much concept of love."

Dominov sensed her inner confusion and fought hard against himself. He had not intended to place her in danger of him. But she was. Sudden, powerful emotions raced through his body, demanding her touch, her blood, and her mind. He had never in his long life felt anything so strong as his need for her. Hot, possessive desire coursed through him. Need erupted in him and dark emotions pooled in his abdomen. It was all he could do to keep from claiming her and binding them together right there. He was forced to remind himself that it would not be fair to her. Only a week until she was rightfully his, and he would claim her the instant he could. In the meantime he had a lot to learn about her culture. He released her from his grasp. "It is long past time you returned home."

**00000**

"Thank you for making sure I got home alright." Alena's voice was soft and unsure. They stood in her kitchen, his large, intimidating form making her feel uncomfortable yet again. She was unsure of how to say goodbye to this dark, intimate man. Although she had the feeling that she would see him again very soon. Both excitement and fright took hold of her at that thought.

"I could do nothing less than ensure your safety," Dominov responded, referring back to his courtly manner. He could not help gazing around the kitchen in disbelief. There were so many things he did not recognize. Stove, dishwasher, sink. Everything modern was beyond his knowledge.

The door to the kitchen suddenly burst open and a raging Helen stood in the threshold. She eyed Alena with furious worry, then Dominov with suspicious caution. "How dare you sneak out like that?! If something had happened to you, your father would have had my head – and his!" She gestured wildly towards the tall stranger. No one had warned her that this child would be so rebellious.

Dominov stood perfectly still, his face a mask of cool indifference. In his wonder he had forgotten to place Helen in a deep sleep. He cursed himself for his childlike behavior. It could have been something much more lethal. Mistakes like that were inexcusable; he could not risk his life mate now that he had finally found her.

"Calm yourself, Madam," his voice was low and compelling. "There is nothing for you to fear. Alena is safe with me, she will always be safe with me." Helen, completely enraptured by his voice, nodded dumbly. "I thank you for concern. Good night, Madam." Without further question, Helen yawned tiredly and left the room.

He was expecting a gasp of alarm from Alena, but when he looked at her he saw only wonder. "I didn't think there was anyone else who could do that. I'm really not cursed, am I?"

"Of course you are not. You are gifted." His complete acceptance of her made her heart soar. That alone pleased him.

A loud yawn escaped her. She covered her mouth but did not look embarrassed in the least. Her eyelids drooped and Dominov could feel her exhaustion. She looked over at the clock on the stove and saw that it read one thirty. She gasped. "Oh my god! No wonder Helen was so mad at me! I should have been asleep hours ago."

Dominov smiled despite himself. Alena's complete disregard for etiquette and manners should have disgusted him, but it did not. In fact he found her behavior eccentric, impetuous and rebellious. In short, he found it cute.

He crossed the space between and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in a dangerously intimate gesture. "Sleep, _tesorina_. It is clear you need it."

"Will you come back tomorrow?" she asked innocently, unsure of where her sudden courage came from. She should have been frightened by him, glad of their separation. But in reality his power and understanding of her made her feel closer to him, made her want to be closer to him. Her fingers absently traced where he had touched her face.

"Yes. I will return very soon. Though, if you need me, I will always be near you. Simply reach for me with your mind and I will hear you." He reached for her hand and delicately raised it to his lips. Their closeness should have scared her, but suddenly it felt right. The brush of his lips had sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. Her skin was heating up from his touch. She did not want him to release her hand. Dominov recognized the danger of the situation and let her hand drop, signaling that it was time for their meeting to end. She turned away and had begun to leave when he stopped her.

"Play for me. On the eve of your birthday, play your concert for me." His voice had dropped its control and desire rang through every note. He wanted to hear her music again, but he was not going to force her compliance. Alena's eyes sparkled; she smiled and nodded, then left the room.

**00000**

Dominov was circling over the homes of the village. Large grey wings protruded from his shoulder blades in a display of magic so difficult he was sure he was the only one who could accomplish it. Clouds raced by him in exhilaration that he had not felt in centuries. Magic and power had drifted away from him, but now Alena made him want to feel the wind on his face again. He promised himself that he would take her flying at the first opportunity.

Natural weakness hit him. The need to feed roared inside his head, throughout his body. He swooped low, still shielding himself from the view of humans, and dropped silently beside a middle aged woman. He reached out with his mind to call her to him, but stopped. Touching another woman did not seem right to him. The idea of him holding someone other than Alena made his skin crawl.

The woman walked past him without interference, and he instead turned his sights onto a pair of men walking out of an inn. Dominov effortlessly called them to him, not bothering to implant memories, but relying on his skill at magic to allow him to feed in the middle of the street completely unnoticed.

The moment his teeth sank into the neck of one of the men, his darkness erupted within him, threatening to consume him. In an effort to protect Alena from his demons, Dominov broke off all mental links between the two of them. Darkness immediately flared all around him. Careful not to take too much, he released the first man and began feeding on the second. His own inner evil surrounded him and threatened to send him over the edge. His head pounded from the effort of fighting himself in a way it never had before. His limbs lost their hold and his body felt weak. Instantly the answer came to him. Poison. The blood was poisoned.

Darkness crept into his vision and, terrified for her safety, he reached out to Alena. Horror struck him. He could not link with her mind. Dominov tried his best to assess his situation even as his legs gave out and he fell to the ground. The two men had recovered from Dominov's magic and were moving around him. His mind sent out waves of fear and rage, hoping to dissuade them. His mind tried desperately to find Alena, to know if she was in danger. But he could not. He lost consciousness as the poison took hold.

**00000**

Dominov woke groggily, delirious and hallucinating. It took a few long minutes for the effects of the poison to wear off. When it did he shot out of the earth to discover that he was lying in the healing cove of a large group of caves he remembered from several hundred years ago. Incense and healing tools lay scattered around him. How had he gotten there? How long had it been since he had been poisoned? Who had healed him? More importantly, where was Alena and was she alright?

Fury immediately shot through his body and mind. He could feel the earth lurch and roll beneath his feet. Years of experience told him that a gale was raging outside with force enough to rip a human off their feet. His mind immediately reached for Alena, but he still could not find her. Anger boiled into terrifying rage, the world was in danger if he could not make contact with his life mate. He tried again, but to no avail. Furious, he shot out of the cave.

Lightning shot through the sky, thunder crashed and shook the world, the earth threatened to fold over and swallow humanity in its darkest core. Dominov reached out once more with his mind, prepared to search the world over for Alena if he could not reach her. Finally his mind found the path to hers and latched on. Without second thought he shot into the sky and followed the pull of her mind to an old cabin.

Determined not to make the same mistakes, Dominov scanned the cabin and the woods surrounding it before he entered. He could sense the air was heavy with a foreign substance. A quick analysis with his mind told him an anesthetic, not toxic but the same poison that was in the blood of the men he drank from. But he could also sense Alena in the room, completely helpless. There was no way he could turn around and walk away. If need be, he would sacrifice himself for her. He pushed the door open and walked inside.

The air was heavy, thick with death, pain, and blood. The only body was that of Alena's small figure, tied up at one end of the room. She looked as though she had been crucified, nude with her arms stretched out to her sides though her feet were slightly apart. There were no open cuts or lacerations on her body, but Dominov could sense internal bleeding. Blood flowed from between her legs. Her head lolled to one side, unconscious. She had lost too much blood.

Without thought to himself, he closed the space between them, ripped off his shirt and brought her mouth to a cut he made, forcing her to take Carpathian blood. His ancient blood raced through her, working to replenish her. Not even the erotic feel of her mouth on his skin, the idea that she was taking in his life force, was enough to pierce the cold fury that still rocked the earth. But he was inhaling too much poison. His limbs were already feeling heavy. He closed the cut on his chest and prepared to free her from her bonds.

Just then the door to the cabin burst open. Human voices shouted, lights flashed around him. He shielded his eyes as a spotlight shone into his face. Dominov roared in anger, believing them to be a threat to Alena. His predatory nature demanded that he kill them all and take Alena to safety, bind her to him for all time. The humans shouted demands at him, but a mix from the poison and the blood pounding in his ears prevented him from hearing. He tried to summon up powers to destroy the humans, but the poison was draining him of strength. Small pieces of metal pierced his skin and sent pain searing through his body.

Dominov's shoulder was on fire where he had been shot. He did not recognize the authorities for what they were trying to do: save the young girl inside. He was a threat to them and, from their point of view, to her. They shot again, a total of seven bullets sheering his skin and imbedding themselves in his flesh. He roared in pain again, and knew that he could not save Alena. His mind was clouding over again. With his strength draining, a voice sounded through his mind.

_Leave, old friend. They will not hurt her._

It was so beautiful, so compelling. And he was so tired. It seemed impossible to resist that voice. With just enough power left, Dominov's body shimmered and he was forced to soar out of the cabin. Something was compelling him back to the caves. His body reformed with a sickening thus in the healing cove.

A man, a dark phantom of the night, appeared from the air and looked down at the body of his friend. Such an ancient, powerful being reduced to helplessness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: As always, thanks to all who've reviewed. I love to know what people think about my writing. I've been looking through the other stories in this section and boy do I have long chapters! I haven't heard anything negative about that, but if you do have an opinion on that, I'd like to know what you think. Anyway, the plot is thickening now, so enough said. Read and Review. Enjoy!**

A dull pounding sounded heavily in Dominov's ears. Blood surged through his veins, now rid of the poison and flowing with ancient blood supplied by another. His eyes opened groggily as he slowly became aware of his surroundings. He was back in the healing cove, freshly removed from rich soil. His body was sore, his mind hazy. But he shot to life once he realized there was another presence in the room.

Predatory instincts instantly roared to life. Dominov's mind flared out dangerously, his hands groping for the throat of the man leaning over him.

"Calm yourself, she lives." A voice cut across the darkness, sounded both in his mind and aloud. It was the same voice that compelled him to leave her, his lifemate, Alena Saunders. Stormy grey eyes slashed dangerously down at him.

Constantine Tempest stood over Dominov. He had a build familiar to Dominov, a large square frame with lean muscles and deadly features. Power was chiseled into every line on his body, cruelty in his face, storms in his eyes worthy of his name. The ancient pair had long been friends and allies.

Dominov's hold was immediately lessened. A mental push from Constantine forced him to lie back down on the rich soil. It was clear to both of them that he was startled at the sight of his friend. Constantine, however, smirked as he produced a glass bowl filled with various healing agents.

"I can see that I'm not going to get a hug and a kiss." Even long after he had lost his emotions, Constantine kept his passion for sarcasm and wit, mind games and knowledge. Dominov snarled in response, feeling a sudden stab of betrayal. "Just as well. Perhaps that will be better kept for her."

"I thought you were asleep." Together Dominov and Constantine had devised a strategy to extend their own lives in order to wait for their life mates. Fifteen hundred years ago they put their plan into action, sleeping for a century or two, waking to look for their life mate, and sleeping again if she was not found. Nothing of the sort had been attempted before, and there was worry that frequent extended sleep could harm them or somehow make them more susceptible to the darkness. Nevertheless, they had been leapfrogging through centuries, taking turns waking before the other. This time it was Dominov's turn to awaken first, become accustomed to the times and wake Constantine when he was sure of himself.

"It is lucky for you that I am not," Constantine replied, easily side stepping his friend's suspicion. He routinely placed the healing salve onto the areas where Dominov had been shot. Although the bullets were removed and all damage repaired, it was an extra precaution that helped make Constantine the best healer the Carpathians had ever seen. "You have a great many things to learn about modern society."

"That would be?" Dominov growled. Memories of the cabin and Alena's helpless body filled his mind, making him curse himself in fury. Instinct told him that the storm was still raging above ground.

"You can never be too careful here. Society progressed beyond belief over the last two hundred years. Guns, for example," Constantine picked up a metal bullet where it lay harmless on the floor, "are quite deadly nowadays. And you were shot seven times."

"Then I suppose I am lucky to have such a legendary healer," Dominov scoffed. He remembered guns. The large, lumbering, inaccurate machines humans used to wield death. They seemed laughable back then, so easy to dodge and overpower. He took the bullet delicately from Constantine's fingers and examined it.

"Who healed you in record time," Constantine added smugly.

"How long has it been?"

"Two days. One between you falling to the poison and finding her, one since you left her." Constantine was matter-of-fact, waiting patiently for the oncoming outburst. He had not felt emotion in nearly three thousand years and wanted to see how it was, how Dominov changed with it.

"You knew. How could you have sent me away and left her there when you knew what condition she was in? How could you heal me knowing that she might be dead?" His voice was lethal, promising swift retribution. A sudden wave of fury passed through Dominov. The earth beneath them began to lurch and roll. He flung the bullet against the wall of the cavern with such force that it lodged firmly in the cave wall. He was making too many mistakes, things he could not afford. Not scanning was inexcusable. Leaving her alone once was unimaginable, twice was unforgivable. Now he had no idea where she was or what condition she was in.

Constantine did not shy away, did not even tremble. "I made a choice, brother. Those men were not there to attack her. They were the authorities, the human enforcers of this country. They had come to free her and punish her attacker. They saw you as that. They were going to take her to a hospital, a human medical facility. I was aware of their intentions. Humans are so easy to read and control.

"But you, my friend, were not so simple. You were irrational and dangerous. You would have unintentionally killed both you and your life mate had I not intervened. I did make a choice. I chose that it was more important to heal your mortal wounds knowing that she would live. I have already assured you that she is fine." His voice was low and compelling, trying to ease his companion's nerves.

Dominov was strong enough to shake off Constantine's spell. "You did no such thing. You said she was alive. I saw her in the cabin, that was living – a living hell! I will be damned if I see her in such conditions again!" He could not remember a time when he had felt such intense fury, such emotional pain. If Alena were gone to him, he would terrorize this planet, starting with Constantine Tempest.

"Then come to your senses. Learn about modern society and learn to protect her. I am appalled that you think I would leave your life mate completely unattended. I scanned her before I made any decisions. Besides, can you truly chastise me knowing that if you die, she dies?" It was cruel logic that Dominov did not want to think about yet knew to be true. Alena did not have enough in her life to live without him. Now the trick was getting her to admit that. "What is her name, anyway?"

"Alena Saunders. She is human, our union is forbidden." There was a moment's pause as Dominov mourned their parting. He reached out with his mind and connected to the girl. She was unconscious but not in any pain. He decided to change the subject something less important. "What news of the Carpathians?"

"Mikhail still leads them." Constantine and Dominov had long ago stopped referring to other Carpathians as "their people." All other Carpathians thought them dead, and most of their laws held no sway over the pair. After all, Dominov had planned to convert the girl and retire to the countryside, regardless of laws broken or leadership to acknowledge. "His life mate was a human, Raven Whitney, now a Carpathian Dubrinsky." Hope instantly illuminated Dominov's heart, overpowering his rage. "She has a daughter the age of your Alena, said to be the life mate of Gregori. Do you know what they call him now? The dark one. To think they all bow down to his power. Even Mikhail acknowledges his superiority. If only they knew what power still exists!" Greed and bloodlust fired Constantine's eyes.

"Calm yourself, brother," Dominov intervened. "There is hope yet. Perhaps this means that humans have the right chemistry for us as well." Even with the mental contact and word from his friend, his entire being longed for Alena, demanded that he hold her, heal her, and never let another male near her. Constantine saw this.

"You will see her this night, but first you must feed." Constantine routinely slashed his wrist and offered it to Dominov. He fed without thought, the same as they had done since childhood. When he had taken his fill Constantine was visibly weaker. "You must go to the local hospital where is she being cared for. Be unseen and do not touch her. I will meet you there, but first I must feed and take of care of protecting our race. It seems that some idiot decided to give her blood, and it reflected in her blood tests." Mischief danced in his eyes. "Then we will take her to your home, heal her, and you can go on fighting the urge to mate."

_I will never let another male near her!_ The uncensored thought flashed between them and the air crackled with power and tension. The thought of humans around Alena, even Constantine, made his blood burn. He had no intention of ever letting another man touch her after what he had seen, but he was no healer. Dominov nodded to appease his friend, knowing he would not be able to resist the predator in him calling for Alena's immediate safety, and trusting in his friend's knowledge of modern ways. He made a mental note to ask how humans could tell he had given her blood.

Their eyes locked. A brief look of understanding passed over Constantine. For a moment his demons were shunted aside as a faraway look clouded his already stormy eyes. Then it vanished. As Constantine rose to leave the cave, Dominov stopped him. "How long have you been awake?" Without replying, Constantine's form wavered and drifted into the night.

Dominov could not keep away the suspicion eating at him.

**00000**

Despite the air being forced into her lungs, Alena Saunders appeared dead. Pale, drawn skin covered her, contrasted by chocolate brown hair cascading around her face, framing her. Her limbs fell limply. Needles and tubes tangled around her body hooked up to ominous machines. There were a few thick scars from where the human doctors had already performed their surgeries. Her face was devoid of life.

Dominov could hardly breathe. She looked so helpless laid out before him. Fury beat at him, threatened every living being. He walked over to the hospital bed and examined her body with his mind. There was no internal bleeding anymore, yet she still had several broken bones, including a shattered hip that was held together by metal screws. There were long, stitched incisions made by the human doctors. Worst of all, her womb was battered and scarred beyond repair. There was no way he could just stand there and wait for Constantine. There was no way that he would even let Constantine in the same room with his lifemate.

Dominov had always been considered gifted by his race. He excelled at everything, gem-calling, artistry, hunting. But healing was not a gift that ran in his family. He could only accomplish basic healing with his saliva and earth and a few things that Constantine had been able to teach him. Mending the incisions and a few of the broken bones would be all he could manage. Sooner or later he would have to allow Constantine to heal her.

The hospital room was just as bleak. Stark white walls glared at him, as though reminding him of his failures. Ugly machines that beeped ominously crowded around her head, monitoring different areas of her body. There were no pictures, no flowers, nothing to brighten the room or show that anyone cared about her. Dominov instantly summoned several bouquets of flowers, seemingly pulling them out of the air. Then, to be extra careful, he scanned all areas of the hospital and placed to strongest safeguards he knew around the room. No one would even be on the same floor as Alena without him knowing it.

Not only had he put his lifemate in grave danger, but now he could not even heal her. Rage and sorrow welled up inside of his mind and body. The storm outside rattled the windows. Finding your lifemate was supposed to make a Carpathian's life happier; it was supposed to make you whole. But so far Dominov had only managed to cause her pain and irrevocable damage. Tears of anger and pain stung his eyes.

_Never again will I fail you. No man shall ever touch you again. I will find the man who dared to do this to you, I swear it_, bella. _Live for me, forgive me. I am not worthy of you,_ tesorina. _But I love you and I can only hope that you will care for me enough to stay by me. I cannot live without you._ The words traced across her mind with all the emotions that he was feeling, fury, pain, iron determination.

Alena's mind stirred at his touch. Even in her unconscious state she knew he was near and moved closer to him. His fingers traced the lines of her face, her cheeks and lips, and wandered down to her throat. Dominov searched her mind, looking for any clues about her captor. Despite the fact that her mind was completely open to him, he found nothing. There was no trace of memories depicting horrifying scenes, no pain, no fear. Nothing. Whoever attacked her was skilled enough to erase all memories.

Yet there was a chance that some remained locked deep within her mind. Finding those would require him taking her blood. His body clenched and tightened at the thought. Incisors lengthened automatically and his blood burned in his veins. Unable to fight the urge, Dominov bent his head to Alena's neck, his tongue swirling over her pulse. Her skin heated at his touch and his body hardened in response. Yet before his fangs sank into her skin, the door opened unexpectedly.

A short, portly nurse carrying a tray of food and medication stood in the doorway. Dominov rounded on her and her eyes widened in shock. Thinking quickly, Dominov planted friendly memories of himself in her mind. Her face immediately relaxed and she gave him a sorrowful smile.

"Good evening, Lord Fane. It's so nice to see someone visiting the poor girl. Did you bring her all these flowers? What a sweet gesture. You're the first one. Her father hasn't even sent anything yet." The motherly woman bustled over and set the tray on Alena's bedside table. "You're not supposed to visit, of course. She's to be kept under lock and key, strict supervision only, until her father arrives. You understand, of course, after what the poor girl went through. Oh, but we're not supposed to talk about that. Keep the identities of rape victim's secret and all."

The woman was no danger, so she was allowed to remain in the room. As she was busy rambling, Dominov's brain worked furiously. How could something like this happen? He had been careful, set up strict safeguards around the room upon entry, and scanned the hallways and floors to ensure that Alena was in no danger. Perhaps it was not entirely his fault. The growing evil in the mountains might not have been him, but a vampire lying in wait. Biding his time until he could target a helpless girl. No, the work seemed too intricate for so simple a goal. His poisoning, her capture, the authorities arriving as soon as Dominov had. It was all planned. Someone was targeting the lifemate of Dominov Fane.

The nurse kept talking. "They're calling her the Carpathian Child on account of her age. It's so sad something like this happened to someone so young. Well, of course, it's a tragedy at any age. Are you all right, Lord Fane?" The dangerous man, thought to be her friend, was awfully pale, his face drawn tight, lips pressed together until they were only thin lines. She moved to stand near him and gave him a consoling look. "It can be very difficult to deal with. It's even affecting the staff here; we're not used to cases like this. They are working very hard, you know. Detectives are here round the clock, waiting until she wakes up to question her." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Between us, the doctor's are worried she might not wake up. Stress induced coma, and all."

"She will awaken." Dominov's voice was iron determination. His voice dropped an octave and wove a spell around the nurse. "I would like to see her medical records, the report of how they found her, how the doctors…helped her. Bring them to me and I will aid her."

The nurse obeyed him without delay. Dominov resumed his work. Fangs exploded in his mouth and he bent his head to her neck, her pulse racing. Even unconscious, Alena knew he was here, she knew how close they were, his intentions. He raked his teeth across the soft skin of her neck, inhaled her scent, kept the intimacy of the moment for a long, painful second.

As his teeth scraped her pulse, something dark and foreign stirred in her mind. The incisions made by the doctors opened by the will of another, sending blood running down her body. Dominov jerked away from her neck, swearing eloquently. He immediately bent his head to the wounds, at once tearing away the stitches with his mind and closing them with the healing agent in his saliva.

Not a moment before the wounds were closed the door opened again. Not taking chances, Dominov cast another spell to make himself unseen by this visitor. It was only the nurse carrying a large manila folder with Alena's name written across it.

"Lord Fane?" she called out. He materialized in front of her, startling the woman. Snatching the folder rudely from her hands, Dominov erased all memories of their encounter and sent her from the room. Then he opened the folder, moving back over to Alena as he read. His breath caught in his throat in disgust, pain, and sorrow. There was extensive damage done to her body, most of it of a sexually abusive nature.

How could she ever look at him again? Dominov had failed her miserably, failed to protect her. If this abuse was truly only done because she was his lifemate, he would never again leave her alone. He was already blaming himself for leaving her alone.

The door swung open a third time, but this time Dominov was ready. He heard the creak of the door, the soft padding of feet in the hallway. An instant before the door opened Dominov's form shimmered and disappeared. He was no more than air, floating above the body of his lifemate, ready to jump to her aid.

A doctor stood in the doorway, a man in his late thirties, with a strong build and clean shaven jaw. His white coat blended into the walls. Dominov's mind stirred. He knew this man. The doctor shut the door briskly and walked over to Alena. There was a hardness to his features, a darkness in his mind that Dominov did not like.

"I don't see why you're so special," the man spat. He stood at the end of her bed, a possessive, dangerous stance that sent Dominov rippling with hatred. But he kept quiet, waiting to see if he could extract some information from this man. "You're just a kid, the kind I like. Who cares if that maniac doesn't want me to touch you? He'll never know, now will he?" He reached out to grasp her ankle, but upon contact electricity passed from Alena's skin to his. He withdrew his hand and winced in pain.

Dominov's blood was boiling. His insides churned in anger. Wind rattled the glass windows again. This man was no doctor. He was here to murder her, he felt it. No one was going to touch her. Ever.

"Damn storms," the man snarled. He extracted a small utensil from the pocket of his coat, a shot filled with what Dominov knew to be a deadly liquid. Suddenly it clicked within his mind. This was one of the men outside the inn, one whose blood was poisoned. Without waiting, the furious Carpathian became a phantom of the night, the creature of nightmares. He reformed and landed silently on the tiled floor. All of his anger was focused at this man, this sociopath who intended to rip Alena away from him.

The man choked, sputtered. Pain exploded in his face, blood dripped from his nose, increasing until it became a gushing stream. His hand flew up to cover his nose, trying to stop the flow. Dominov pierced his mind. There was the same dark presence in his mind that was in Alena's. The man's name was Marcus Denning. The names of two associates floated near Dominov, but the dark presence reclaimed them with stunning force. Angry, Dominov shoved hard at his mind and cut off his airflow.

Marcus staggered around the room. He knocked into machines and sent a metallic clang sounding through the halls. Dominov was unworried. His fury was uncontrollable at this point. Every angry thought was targeted at this man. Dominov's hand shot out and easily twisted Marcus's neck, simply for the satisfaction of hearing the bones snap. He fell to the floor, his body sent into spasms of death.

Dominov employed three thousand years of training and forced himself to be calm. Gliding over the blood, he carefully unwound the tubes and needles that surrounded Alena. Then he gathered her in his arms the way he might hold a child. He was determined to carry her away from the death and oppression in the room. She responded, burrowing into his chest, moving closer to him even while unconscious.

The glass from the window shattered outward, allowing the raging gale to sweep around them. Dominov stepped into the night and breathed the refreshing scents. They did nothing to calm his fury. He floated into the sky, shielding both of them from the fury of the storm, from his fury. He flew towards his home, the place where she would heal. And he would never let her go.

Their closeness stirred Alena's mind. Her eyes fluttered opened and she saw him. He gazed down at her with black eyes, so full of compassion and sorrow it made her want to cry. _Why are you so sad? You came for me again. I knew you would._ It was the first time she had communicated with him telepathically, in the way of his people. In her exhaustion, and with his mind wrapped so tightly around hers, it was all she could manage.

She melted his heart. There was no accusation in her voice, no blame or anger. Simply gentle happiness that he was there and sweet acceptance of him in her voice. Even her eyes smiled at him.

_You are safe, now and forever_. Dominov could not resist touching her face, letting his fingers slip into her hair. He pushed her gently with his mind and she obeyed without wait. Sleep, tesorina. _Sleep and remember how I love you when you wake_.

Somewhere off in the mountains, Dominov could sense Constantine's anger.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thanks again to all who reviewed. Just incase you didn't know, I love you guys! I found a mistake in Chapter 3. I intended to say that Emilian was half Dominov's age, but I cut out the "half." I'm sorry if that confused anyone.**

**Also, I have to apologize for how long it took me to post this. But that's what happens when you go back to school after a six day weekend (hooray for snow days!). The length of the story may have gotten a little out of hand, but I really didn't want to rush anything. So, without a further ado I humbly present the intimate interactions between Alena Saunders and Dominov Fane. Read and Review. Enjoy!**

Alena's eyes fluttered open. Her mind was a haze, heavy with half remembered dreams and foggy memories. There was a dull pounding in her head. Her body was sore as she tried to move, hurting in her most sensitive areas, even in places she had not known she possessed. Massaging her temples with sore fingers, she gazed around the room to get some idea of where she was.

The room was rich. There was no other way to describe it. Spacious with a high ceiling and decorated in reds, golds, and heavy dark furniture, it was the most luxurious place she had ever seen. Exquisite paintings lined the walls in gold frames, depictions of fierce Greek myths and tranquil scenes alike. A golden chandelier descended from the ceiling, giving off a warm glow. Intricately designed boxes rested upon ornately carved, marble topped tables, inside which Alena was sure lay glittering jewels and other priceless trinkets. An old fashioned vanity stood across from her. It was laid out with an ivory comb and various beautiful bottles with colored liquids.

Most surprisingly, there was no evidence of modernization in the room. There were no electrical lights or outlets. There was no hum of a heater; the room was warmed by a crackling fire in a large marble fireplace. Candles were the only source of light and the air was thick with incense. The room was devoid of even windows.

Alena herself was in the very center of the room lying in a large, four post bed. She was lying beneath layers of thick blankets, some richly embroidered with red and gold, others lined with fur. Sheer silken red and gold canopies descended from the ceiling to surround her in a gossamer web. Fear swept over her when she realized that she was nude beneath the blankets. There was an indentation on the covers next to her. Someone had slept beside her. A blush stained her cheeks.

A wave of nausea passed over her. As she tried to sit up, pulling the covers close to her body, her stomach turned in protest. The world seemed somehow different. Her vision was clearer, Alena was sure of it though she did not know how it would be. Her hearing was also more acute. There were sounds of a person moving around above her head, perhaps on another floor. Smells were stronger. The unmistakable scent of vegetable soup floated down to her.

_Good evening, Alena_. Dominov's strong voice floated across her mind. She expected the mental touch to flare up her mind, make it pound even harder. But, to her amazement, his mind soothed her. He was in the kitchen. He communicated the information to her without her knowledge. _I am sorry that you find yourself waking in a strange, albeit suspicious, environment. However, I assure you that I have done nothing to compromise your dignity_.

Hearing his voice made her blood burn. She needed to hear his voice again. Alena groaned aloud. He did not need to tell her that she was safe with him. She knew that, although she did not know how. _Was that English?_ She asked groggily, trying to overlook her body's reaction to him. Mental communication stunned her. Never before had her telepathic powers been strong enough to allow for that, but it was easy now. At least with Dominov it was.

Dominov actually laughed. The sound traced across her mind and made her smile. Unsurprisingly, it was an alien sound to him. Too many centuries had passed since he last laughed. Yet something told him that Alena would fill his home with laughter. _There is a bath waiting for you. _He directed her attention toward a door on the opposite wall. It was ajar and led into what Alena could only guess was the bathroom.

She made to swing her legs over the edge of the bed. The instant her left leg moved, pain shot through her hip. She gasped. What had happened to her while she was sleeping?

_Do not strain yourself, Alena_. It was a command laced with fear. Dominov cursed himself for not being more adept at healing. He had been able to mend all of her cuts and most broken bones. There were still a few slight cracks and bone bruises, but they wouldn't hurt any more than a normal bruise. Yet when it came to her shattered hip, there was not much he could do. The metal screws were all removed and the hip pieced together. It could support her weight, but eventually Constantine would have to heal her hip and examine her womb. _Do you need me?_

_No! I just wasn't ready for it_. Her response was sudden self preservation. Alena might have felt safe in his home, but being in the same room with him while she was naked and vulnerable was completely different. Her body had another alarming reaction. Part of her wanted him near, needed him to see her, needed his body close to her. The other half protested wildly against the thought.

He could not help but smirk at her thoughts. He would claim her this night, he knew it. His body was already tightening in anticipation, reacting to her thoughts. Their connection was strong. He had been forced to give her blood again, further strengthening their ties, magnifying her senses and need for him. But he still had yet to take her blood, to say the ritual binding words. Tonight it would be done.

_We are never ready for pain, _la bella_. Allow me to assist you._ Before she could respond, he gently pushed into her mind. Soft chanting filled her mind in a language she could not understand, then the pain subsided.

_Thank you._ With a blanket still wrapped tightly around her, Alena crossed the room, the marble cool beneath her bare feet. An instant before she walked in, Dominov mentally lit several candles, filled the tub with water, and heated it with his mind. The bathroom was every bit as luxurious as the bedroom. The whole room was coordinated in black, white, and gold. Black and white marble swirled across the floor. The tub was large and set deep in the floor with golden facets attached. Still there was no evidence of modern lights or indoor plumbing. Alena was beginning to think that nothing was used to build this house except gold.

She shut the door tightly, then dropped blanket and stepped into the water. It instantly soothed her aching muscles. Steam spiraled up from the water's surface. Alena closed her eyes in relaxation. How long had it been since she had last seen him? Dominov, her dark savior. She pictured his face in her mind. She had only seen him twice, he rarely touched her and never inappropriately. How could she need him this badly?

Alena strained her memory, trying desperately to remember how she arrived in his home. Her mind came up blank. The last thing she remembered was leaving Dominov in her kitchen and lying down in bed. There were no memories of him bringing her here or anything to cause such soreness. But she trusted him and his word. If Dominov said he didn't hurt her, Alena believed him. Yet there was something in her mind that told her that she had endured something bad, a malevolent trial of an unknown kind.

By the time she finally left the luxurious bathroom, a silk robe was hanging on up for her. Alena was certain it was not there entered the room, but was grateful nonetheless. She pulled it around herself, enjoying the feel of the smooth material against her skin. Remembering the vanity, Alena sat on the velvet covered stool and ran the ivory comb through her chocolate hair, now hanging in wet, curling strands around her face and down her back. There was something about being in _his_ room, having slept in _his_ bed, and bathed in _his_ bathtub. It felt so right. It made Alena soar with happiness and recoil in fear all at once.

While she was combing her hair, Alena found herself humming a soft melody. Her fingers danced through the air without her knowledge. She needed music the way she needed air. It just had to be there. She couldn't live without it.

_You are still sitting in front of that mirror? I knew it would be useful one day. You should be dressed by now._ Dominov's voice was a teasing reprimand, full of masculine superiority.

_Oh hush. You shouldn't have put in here if you didn't want me to use it. And in case you haven't noticed, I don't have any clothes._ A rosy tint spread across Alena's cheeks as she admitted that to him, knowing that he was aware of her body.

Dominov gave an animated sigh. He was secretly pleased with her youth and spirit. _Have you even looked at anything besides that mirror since you came out of the bath?_

Alena turned around and, sure enough, saw an outfit laid out on the large bed, which was now drawn up. She instinctively pulled the robe tighter around her. _You were in here while I was bathing? _she demanded.

_Would that have been so bad?_ Alena's heart beat faster. She felt fingertips brush over her face, sensuously gliding over her lips and down to her throat. _No, Alena,_ Dominov promised, _I honored your privacy._

_You're a strange one, Dominov_. A frown tugged at her lips. There was definitely something odd about him, but she couldn't say what. _Which, by the way, we have to work on. And that reminds me, can you honestly expect me to remember to your name? I think I'm going to call you Dom. What kind of a name is Dominov, anyway? _She was openly teasing him, something no one had done in centuries.

_Romanian_, he answered, completely unruffled by her spirit. He actually liked the thought of a nickname, something intimate he shared with no one else.

_Well that explains a lot, then. Where are you? _

_Upstairs, fixing you something to eat. You will be amazed at my cooking abilities, little _bella. Dominov was coaxing another spirited response from her.

_I'm sure I will. I can't picture you as the domestic type. Of course, judging by the way you looked at all the appliances in my kitchen, I wouldn't be surprised if you were cooking on a heated brick. Never mind, I take that back. You could probably just look at it and fry it. _She was joking about his intimidating nature and fierce gaze.

Dominov's mocking male laughter filled her mind. It made her happy to hear him laugh. _Stay there. I will bring it to you. Then I have something very special to show you._

_Of course you will. I don't think I can get out of here. Did you know that there's only one door in this room and that leads to the bathroom. Weird, huh?_ It was sarcastic, an unspoken accusation. She knew he locked in, in a sense, but didn't mind. Part of her was hoping he would explain it, reassure her that there was a door that she simply didn't see. But the other part of her was fully ready to believe that Dominov could make things happen, things that normal people couldn't. Her childhood fantasies made her eager to believe it.

Not wanting Dominov to walk in on her naked beneath her robe, Alena strode over to the bed and examined the clothes. They were exquisite, much like everything else Dominov owned. A flowing shirt and skirt with lacy undergarments that made her blush. She found herself questioning Dominov's intentions, but at the same time touched that he thought about her in an intimate way. Fully dressed in what he provided, she felt beautiful. For the first time in her life, Alena felt loved.

Dominov breathed a sigh as he began the descent from his kitchen to his sleeping chambers. Perhaps it was better if she had no knowledge of the ordeal. If her mind was blank, then she would not know the horrors she went through. Or the pain of trying to manage it. Or the way Dominov had failed her. After all, he would have removed the memories if he had the chance. That was his way –and his right- of maintaining his lifemate's happiness, he knew. This way everything was better. Dominov could continue courting Alena, claim her the way he needed to. Then he could hunt her torturer without her knowing, without causing her pain. Yes, this was best.

He stood waiting outside his sleeping chamber, long absent of his presence, with a tray of steaming soup and fruit. With a simple thought, a heavy, ornate wooden door appeared in front of him. He knocked loudly, respectfully, giving Alena fair warning as to his presence. Then he pushed the door open. Breath left him. Dominov was certain his heart skipped a beat.

Alena appeared a regal princess before him, a goddess of life, love, and redemption. And she was in his room. The room he had designed, using all the power he possessed long after he lost emotion and color, for his lifemate. Indeed, Dominov had used every ability he had to create this castle and home, thinking all the while of his lifemate. He believed and hoped so strongly that he had never even used this sleeping chamber, waiting until he found his lifemate to share it with her. Now she was here, and he slept the day away at her side.

A shy smile touched Alena's lips, innocence shining in her eyes. Without tearing his gaze away, Dominov placed the tray on a marble-topped table and, in a courtly gesture, pulled out the chair and motioned for Alena to sit. Reluctantly, suddenly aware of the intimacy in the room, the soft candlelight and incense setting the mood, warmth and intensity spanning the space between them, she walked over and sat. Yet as she gripped the spoon, she stopped short. The smell of the soup made her stomach turn, the thought of food sickened her. Dominov noted her expression.

"What is wrong, Alena?" he asked with genuine concern.

"Nothing," Alena said quickly, not wanting to offend him. "I'm just suddenly not hungry." Dominov looked worried, as though he might move closer, do something as intimate as feed her himself, so she quickly changed the subject, and was even more uncomfortable with what she blurted out. "Tell me about your home. I've obviously only seen one room, but it's the most luxurious thing I've ever seen."

Dominov could not keep away a smile as he heard her inner groan. A rosy blush spread across her cheeks, making her irresistible in the candlelight. It was clear that the largest challenge was her uncertainty and fear. Alena had never before been made to feel loved or cherished, and he was the first man she had ever been this close to. It was normal that there be some tenacity. Dominov would entertain it for a while, a few hours maybe, but dismiss it before the night was over. He decided to humor her.

"I am glad you think so. I constructed my entire home when I was much younger. Ever since I have been filling it with artifacts and trinkets in the hopes that one day it would suit the needs of another. Every room is lavishly decorated, but the more priceless artifacts lie below the ground. The bathroom, for instance, is fashioned entirely from marble and onyx." A trace of arrogance and pride lingered in his voice, not pride from his possessions, rather that Alena liked it.

"And gold. You've got more gold than I've ever hear of." Alena was trying desperately to keep the conversation where she might be comfortable. But the truth was Dominov was just too close. Even sitting on the other side of the table, his presence was overwhelming. He radiated pure masculine power mingled with dominance, possessions, and passion. Onyx eyes swirled with so much intensity, his gaze boring into hers, that Alena couldn't think straight.

"Yes. I was very arrogant in my youth. I have been considered rather gifted by my people, the only I could not do was heal." His voice held a note of disappointment. "So, naturally, when I was younger, healing was all I wanted to do. I eventually settled on traveling the world with Constantine, seeking out treasures and wealth while he sought knowledge."

"You didn't want to learn?"

"At the time I was more concerned with building my home." Dominov paused, wondering how much was safe to tell Alena about his past. "Males among my people often suffer bleak lives for many years. Their only hope is to find a woman who completes them, who can bring back happiness into their lives. While they search for this woman, their lifemate, they often perfect their skills in order to care for her when they do find her. My hope was to hone my skills until I was able to create this home. I fashioned it myself, refusing any help, and filled it with everything I could from my various travels."

"That was your hope?" Alena's teeth tugged at her bottom lip, eyes narrowed in thought. There was something different about him, she knew, but was that also true of "his people"?

"My hope was that one day my lifemate would share this with me, that when I found her I would regain my love for adventure and exploring as I did when I was younger. I fashioned it for her."

"And now?" she asked, visibly afraid of the answer. Dominov could hear her heart pounding. Everything he was saying was so intimate, so passionate. Alena's heart sounded in her ears. He couldn't possibly say that she was this woman, but even as she dreaded it, a part of her needed to hear him say it.

"And now that I have found her, I do not care about the gold or the jewels. I care only for her, for you. If this is to your liking, then it yours, and I am glad my centuries of work have rendered a positive outcome." Dominov paused not catching his mistake. Alena was pale, even more so than before, and too overwhelmed to think about his mistake. She had now gone three days with nothing more than an IV and his blood for sustenance.

"Allow me to assist you." Without waiting for a response, he leaned over, took the spoon from her trembling hand, and raised the soup to her mouth. He gave an order, so subtle Alena didn't notice it, yet so strong she had no choice but to accept it. A wave of nausea hit her, but Dominov's power kept her stomach from rejecting it. He did not release his hold until the bowl was empty.

"We have to work on the way you speak," was all Alena could manage, although she secretly liked the Old World elegance of his voice. "It's not English."

"I have something I would like to show you." Dominov rose, a smile playing at his lips, and led her by the hand out of his sleeping chamber. Terrified of what was to come, Alena followed him, trying to maintain her distance.

He led her into a long marble hallway. Pictures adorned the walls and rich oriental rugs spanned the length of the hall. Deep in the bowels of the earth, one hundred feet beneath his castle home, Dominov had constructed a vault. It was a safe haven built of the finest marble and containing his bedchamber and the most precious treasures from his long life. Once it was completed, Dominov sealed it off until he found his lifemate.

"These should be in a museum!" Alena gasped at the artwork. She recognized the works of Monet and Rembrandt. "Where did you get all these?"

"All kinds of places. Some were bartered, others achieved in less honorable ways. I was in possession of the Hope Diamond for a brief period, but I exchanged it for several of Da Vinci's works. This way." Dominov suddenly realized how detestable he was. In the name of knowledge, he and Constantine wandered the earth, never passing up a chance to con a mortal out of his possessions. They had even resorted to raiding tombs in search of powerful books for Constantine and any glittering works that caught Dominov's eye.

Yet Alena did not think about that. "You've got everything," she whispered. "I'm just surprised you don't anything musical up on the walls."

"I found it rather difficult to pin music to the wall." Dominov's voice came out in a low growl, compelling and possessive. A tremor of fantasy and fear swept Alena.

When they turned the corner, Alena stopped short. In the middle of a large room stood a piano. An eighteenth century grand piano, complete with gleaming ivory keys and gold flecked scenes carved into it.

"It was designed specially for Mozart. Do you like it? I have some of his original works here if you would like to play them?" Dominov found he was holding his breath. For a man so powerful and composed, always in control, he was terrified that she would reject it. His mind flooded hers, simply for the reassurance that she did, as if her expression of awe was not enough.

Alena was stunned. It was in a fairy tale. Her life had been so dark, so full of loneliness and gloom, then out of the darkness came Dominov, her dark savior. He swept her up in his intensity, his passion, offering her everything she could imagine and so much more. Her heart fluttered. Surely this couldn't be true. No matter how much she dreamed such a thing could happen, Alena was not so foolish as to believe it would. She knew enough of life to realize that there was some underlying intention that would rob her of all the life Dominov gave her. This loved, cherished feeling couldn't possibly be real.

She found her fingers were trembling too much to play. In an effort not to let him see, Alena tucked them behind her back. Her eyes latched onto the floor.

Dominov flowed into her mind easily. Her thoughts disturbed him. How could she believe he had ulterior motives? She was standing too close. Her hair, now dried in a mass of wild curls, brushed his skin. Flames danced across his body. He inhaled her scent and kept it in his mind. He could not wait hours, he had only now to convince her of his truth. Dominov needed to claim her now.

"There is nothing to fear from me, _la bella_." He traced the words through her mind and aloud, wove a spell with his voice. Dominov fingers brushed down her arm, his body forming a solid wall behind her. With his arm he swept Alena closer to him, locked her in his possessive embrace. His body reacted immediately, tightening and hardening. "I want nothing more than you happiness."

Alena stood completely still. Her fingers trembled slightly and she closed her eyes, half of her given up to the ecstasy of his mouth on her neck, the other half rebelling wildly in her mind. She could stand it no longer. Terrified of the response, Alena choked out, "What do you want from me?"

"I have already told you. Above all else, I want your happiness and protection. I want the intimacy that can only be achieved by being with you. Nothing else." That was not entirely true. Dominov did want to convert her, but that could wait. Alena's mind cried out in confusion. She wanted him too, her body burned for his. Hot flames covered her skin where he touched her. Dark fire pooled in her abdomen. Was this how it felt when he had sex with other women before her?

"There is a difference between sex and intimacy, tesorina." The words were whispered into her neck, into her thick mane of chocolate hair. He spun her around to face him, locked her in place with a strong arm. Smoldering onyx orbs took hold of her. There was such passion in his eyes, such intense love. "You are the only woman for me. Touch my mind and you will see." He stood perfectly still, waiting for her to reach out, knowing that when she did he would completely encompass her, make her see.

A dark sense of dread pulled at her mind. Hazy memories drifted in her mind, just out of reach. Alena was certain something malevolent had happened to her between her last visit with Dominov and her present situation. That was why she hurt so much. She couldn't say how she knew, but neither could she stop the next question from forming at her lips. "Do you know what happened to me?"

"No, Alena, I do not." Dominov's eyes darkened with sorrow. Something in them burned with anger so intense. In his eyes she saw promises of retribution, and a vow that nothing would hurt her again.

"I can't do this." She sensed his intentions. This was all too much. Alena could comprehend his gifts, she could accept his differences and telepathic capacities, but he promised forever in his eyes. And that she couldn't relate to, no matter how much she wanted to.

Dominov allowed her to break free of his grasp. He simply watched as she ran down the hallway, desperately looking for a way out. With a single command from his mind, the earth opened and a stairwell appeared before her eyes. Alena gasped, knowing it was his doing. Without a second thought she raced up the stairs.

They seemed never-ending. Dark walls closed in around her. With every step she took, another four sprang out of the darkness. Each stair brought more and more pain back in her hip. "Are you doing this to me?!" Alena demanded. Dominov had to be powerful enough. Would he force her to stay with him?

The darkness finally opened and Alena threw herself into a large hall in the castle of Dominov's home. Without stopping to look around, Alena sprinted as fast as she could down the hall in the direction her mind was pulling her. It felt so strange to be pulled by her mental force, almost as though it was a foreign presence leading her. She ran without thought to herself, though every step brought searing pain to her hip. The large wooden door finally loomed up ahead of her. It was thrown open by an unseen force, but Alena didn't care. As she ran out onto the stone steps, her hip had finally taken enough. The bones gave out and Alena fell headlong down the stairs.

Dominov immediately materialized by her side, snatching her out of the air before she could tumble down and folding her into his arms. His hand closed over her hip, his onyx gaze locking onto hers, and she gasped. It was partly out of fear from his hand being so close, but more so because heat spiraled through her at his touch. A moment later the pain subsided.

"You never in any danger from me, Alena. I will never hurt you." His words were a stern vow, a promise echoed in every part of his body. The intensity of his eyes, the way he held her, firmly yet gently.

Alena's heart pounded because she knew he spoke the truth. Yet her mind rebelled all the same. There was something in her mind fighting Dominov at every turn, but she didn't know what or why she felt this way. Dominov reached down and pushed a strand of hair away from her face, felt her skin heat up at his touch. He set her down gently, giving her the choice.

"You are the light to my darkness. My other half. I need you, Alena. I love you so unconditionally that I can never let you go. Can you accept me, _la bella_?" The words were dangerous. Dominov's voice was so beautiful and compelling that Alena could not think of anything other than him. She saw the darkness reflected in his eyes, the loneliness that she knew so well. Her body cried out to be closer to him, her mind needed to comfort him. How could she leave him to continue suffering? "Trust in me, Alena. Give yourself to me completely."

Reading her thoughts, Dominov closed the gap between them, gently touched his mouth to hers and folded her into his arms. Despite his strength and power, Alena was surprised to find how tender he was. Unable to fight any more, her arms crept up and circled his neck. Dominov easily slid into her mind, ran through her fantasies, and brought one to life. The temperature of the Carpathian winter rose until it became rather warm. Rain droplets fell from the sky, growing heavier and heavier until it was downpour.

Alena broke apart. She lifted her face towards the rain and laughed as it coated her. Even her laughter was seductive. Dominov took the opportunity to trail kisses along her neck. His hands spanned her body, longing to feel her skin. Without waiting for consent, he pulled her shirt over her head to expose her flesh. Electricity crackled between them, heat spiraled from their bodies. Forcing himself to be calm, to respect her innocence, Dominov gently unhooked her bra and let it fall to the ground. He pressed his lips against the swell of her breasts, enveloping her mind with his to feel her reactions to his touch.

Primal instincts overtook him. Unable to wait any longer, Dominov ripped off her skirt and lacy underwear. He shuddered, using his Carpathian abilities to shed his clothing. Then he braced her against a tree and reached down to explore the triangle of dark curls between her legs. Heat coursed through Alena as her muscles tightened at his touch. Dominov trailed kisses down her body until he tasted the delta between her legs. Alena was shocked at his antics, but soon gave herself up to the ecstasy he made her feel. She gripped a tree branch above her head, something real to keep her body from floating away. Her body rippled with pleasure.

When Dominov had sated his hunger, he seized her mouth with his and wrapped her legs around his waist. Honoring her innocence, he gently inserted his tip into her sheath. He issued a primal growl into her neck, feeling her pleasure. His hips ground slowly, agonizingly, into her hers. Alena reacted, moving her own hips against his. Dominov took his opportunity to begin thrusting into her. The pain was overwhelming at first, overtaking Alena. Dominov didn't want to cause her pain, but it was too late to stop himself. He moved faster and faster, driving until he was completely inside her.

The ritual words were forming in his mind. He would take her blood and bind them together for all eternity because he _needed_ to. Alena's pulse raced as his tongue swirled over her neck. Dominov's teeth nipped gently at her neck, scraped back and forth. There was an instant when time stood still, then the world became very clear to Alena. She felt the bitter chill in the air, the tree bark scratching into her back, the pain of Dominov's desire.

Suddenly vicious images tore through her mind. Memories of her and Dominov alone in a cabin. Flashes rocked her mind, Dominov standing over her, savagely biting into her neck. Her stretched out helplessly before him, tied in place. Him taking her forcibly, savagely. Overwhelming pain coursed through Alena. Something in her mind awoke and reacted instinctively.

Mental blocks so strong that Dominov was thrown backwards, away from her, slammed into place. Dominov's head hit a tree, dazing him. Alena's mind compelled her to run as far and as fast as she could, and she obeyed without thought. Dominov did not need to read her mind to see the darkness there. Another presence disguising its true nature to sabotage their relationship. A vampire.

Alena ran, not knowing where she was going. She didn't even care about the pain she was in. Tears welled up in her eyes. Those images were memories of Dominov's betrayal. He hurt her, tricked her, raped her, and beat her. Emotions of all kind beat at her, grief, humiliation, anger. They were so overwhelming that Alena had to stop, sobbing so hard she was forced to lean on a tree to support.

She had been there only a moment when the air around her shifted. There was a rustling of leaves and Alena turned around, completely unaware and uncaring of her nudity. A dark, imposing figure stood before her. His features were stone, cold and impassive. Only his eyes, dangerous slashes of silver, shone with any life. Alena's mind reached for his, told her safety lie with him, though she wasn't sure why.

Gregori caught the scent of another Carpathian male on her. Carpathian blood ran in her veins. Yet her mind was chaotic, sending violent images spiraling out into the air around them. She needed protection. Sweeping his cloak from his shoulders, Gregori fashioned it around the girl. Then he led her away from the darkness in the air towards the safety of Mikhail's home.

Dominov sensed another male's presence. Anger, intense fury, wrapped itself in his mind. His onyx eyes sank deeper into darkness. Flames danced around him as primal, Carpathian instincts swelled. He was three thousand years old, and all the power he possessed was pouring into the world around him. Gregori Daratrazanoff would die before the night was over.


	6. Chapter 6 Part I

**Author's Note: First, as always, special thanks to those of you who reviewed. I love hearing feedback. Second, I must apologize for two things. One: how long it's taken for me to post another chapter. I didn't plan on breaking for that long, but such is life. Two: I've only read four Christine Feehan books, Dark Prince, Dark Desire, Dark Fire, and Dark Symphony (out of order, I know, but I didn't have a choice.). Because of that, I don't know anything about Savannah and her relationship with Gregori. But they are in this chapter, so if I get something wrong, I'm sorry. You can shoot me later. **

**I've been trying at least three times a day to upload this for the last week, and has just not been letting me. And now, I won't make you wait any more: Chapter Six of Dark Deception. Read and review. Enjoy!**

The earth shook with terrifying tremors. Gales burst forth to ravage the land, rip branches from trees. Torrential rains cascaded from an opening in the sky. Water pooled and massed, deepening to enveloping floods. Forks of lightning crashed from the sky, scorching trees, exploding buildings, and threatening humans and Carpathians alike. The night swept unsuspecting victims into its fury. The storm seemed never-ending, all consuming. A threat to all life on earth, sparing neither human nor Carpathian in its terrible might.

Alena stood at a window, gazing out at the bleak world from behind a sheet of glass. The wind howled, threatening to tear the walls down around her. For a moment, Alena wished that horrible fate. She prayed that the outside world would tumble down upon her, as her own world already had. Vicious memories tore through her mind at an alarming rate. Images of blood spurting wildly flashed before her eyes, then her own flesh being twisted and severed. His voice sounded in her ears, Dominov's deep, powerful voice. It was not the promise of eternal love as he had spoken only hours before, but mocking laughter, horrible taunting, macabre promises. Even memories of extreme, ripping pain shot over her skin. But above all remained the imprint of his eyes in her mind. Those dark pools of onyx that once seemed so comforting now reflected death every time Alena shut her eyes.

There was no escaping the horror of her memories.

"And you can remember nothing more?" Gregori's voice, soft and enchanting reached Alena. The girl was standing far too close to the window for his comfort. It was not that he truly cared about her, but more that he needed to detect what was haunting her. It was both his duty to her and to Savannah to rid them of a vampire, should one be lurking in the darkness.

"No," Alena replied softly, answering the same question with the same response for the third time.

"Not a name or a face?"

"No."

_She is a terrible liar_, Mikhail observed.

_Perhaps, but her mind is too chaotic to read at the moment_, Gregori replied, being sure to keep their mental communication from the minds of Raven and Savannah. The four Carpathians sat at one end of the room, with both Mikhail and Raven placed between Savannah and Gregori.

"Perhaps if you were to return to the scene where I found you, you could-"

"_No_."

"Gregori!" Raven was appalled at such a suggestion. She had instantly taken to mothering Alena from the moment Gregori brought her to their home, to the safety of the Carpathian Prince. And Raven was not, under any circumstances, going to allow her Neanderthal of a husband or the healer to cause Alena any more pain.

But Alena was too numb, or trying to be, to allow herself to be hurt by Gregori's remark. She turned away from the window towards him. "Thank you for…" she paused, unsure if he truly intended to rescue her. He was so dark and intimidating that Alena was suddenly of afraid of his intentions. "Well, for bringing me here." Alena paused again, embarrassed to realize that she didn't know his name.

"Gregori Daratrazanoff," Gregori supplied.

Despite herself, Alena giggled. "Wow, that's even worse than Dominov."

"Dominov?" Mikhail questioned sharply. The name was vaguely familiar, as though he had read it in a book many years ago.

"Dominov Fane." A painful mix of emotions clotted Alena's heart. The sound was no more than a whisper, as though his name were a talisman that would bring him rocketing through time and space to her side. And even in her present state, Alena wasn't sure if she needed him near her, or as far away as possible. "I've met him once or twice."

_A repulsive liar_, agreed Gregori. _It is impossible that she knows him. He died long before you or I were ever born. The Fane line itself ended centuries ago with Emilian._ It had been clear from the moment Gregori found her in the woods that Alena had the scent of A Carpathian male on her, but neither Gregori nor Mikhail could recognize the scent. That fact alone intrigued Gregori most of all.

"How do you know Dominov Fane?" The question was from Mikhail, said with mild interest.

_Mikhail_, Raven's voice gently flowed into his mind, _please don't hurt her_.

_That is hardly my intention_, he assured his wife, _but it is necessary to know what happened in order to protect her and others, if necessary. We cannot help her if we know nothing._ _Gregori, do you perhaps think that a vampire is using the name "Dominov Fane" to prevent being discovered?_ Mikhail shut this part of the conversation away from his wife, not wanting to distress Raven further.

_Perhaps, but why then would he so carelessly have his scent all over her? It is more likely that two players are involved, a Carpathian male and a vampire._

_You do not believe that Alena is a lifemate to a Carpathian, do you?_ Mikhail was astounded. He simply believed that she was the victim of the perverse, sociopathic nature of a vampire.

_She is too well taken care of not to be. There are no lacerations or bruises on her body, only several broken bones and a scarred womb. What vampire would not mar his victim's flesh? And what Carpathian would leave his lifemate in such a condition? _Gregori paused for a moment. _Perhaps Alena simply has a lifemate that cannot heal beyond basic knowledge. Very inconvenient for her._

Lightning flared suddenly from the sky, striking the earth outside Mikhail's home. Ear-splitting thunder followed after, making everyone jump in surprise. Alena froze as fire erupted where the ground was struck. A malevolent force was welling up inside of her, something violent and foreign. It began as a dot in her mind, in the back and unnoticed. But with the raging of the storm, it grew into a dark stain, threatening to encompass her soul.

"Move away from the window," Gregori ordered imperiously. When Alena did not obey, he stalked forward to force her compliance. As soon as his hand encircled her wrist, Alena whirled around, eyes blazing and mind a haze of red death. Foreign power surged through her, taking control of her body. It launched itself toward Gregori using Alena as a medium.

Gregori withdrew immediately. _Not a lifemate? I do not like what is happening here._

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Alena cried out. The moment Gregori backed away, the unknown force receded in her mind and disappeared altogether. Mikhail tried to reassure her, but Alena wouldn't listen. "I just, I need air." She instantly left the room. Mikhail and Gregori both tried to stop her with their minds, but nothing seemed to penetrate her barriers- barriers that they knew were too strong to be hers.

"I'll talk to her," Savannah promised and left the room swiftly yet gracefully.

"Mikhail, what's going on?" Raven demanded, noting the harsh concern lining his features.

"I cannot be sure, my love, but it is not promising. Someone is lying, they are controlling Alena. Dominov Fane is dead and has been for millennia. Yet whoever it is possesses the strength to keep us from her mind even without seeing us." Mikhail explained.

"You are our prince; you should recognize the scent or the mental patterns." Gregori observed quietly.

"Perhaps, but I do not. Of all the bloodlines and family ties of the Carpathians, I am least familiar with the Tempest line, but only Christian is left and he is quite reclusive. I would not recognize him by scent. It is possible that he is-"

"I can assure you that my brother is in fine mental condition," a deep, drawling voice stated mildly. Constantine Tempest stood in the doorway of Mikhail's home. His figure was that of power and he radiated immense quantities of it.

Mikhail yanked Raven behind him as Gregori reached out with his mind to ensure Savannah's safety. "Identify yourself and recognize your prince," Gregori ordered using the same mild tone as Constantine.

Constantine, who seemed fully aware of their brief flurry, smirked. "I would, indeed, if my prince still lived. But it seems that Vlad died in my absence. And I am, as you well know, Constantine Tempest."

"It is an impossibility," Mikhail asserted.

"No, although that explanation would be better suited for your young minds." Constantine was demeaning and berating Mikhail and Gregori, who had seemed the oldest and most powerful Carpathians until a moment ago.

"How did you get past my safeguards so quickly?"

"I find them of elementary skill and, quite frankly, laughable." His grey eyes swirled with storms of power. "What has happened to our race? It is no wonder that vampire hunters are closing in quickly."

"You will not disrespect your prince in such a manner." Gregori's voice never lost its amiable tone.

"Yes, _Dark One_." Constantine's words held a biting sarcasm and his eyes echoed hollow laughter. Tension crackled between the men. The air emanated with their power and blue sparks flared. The silence was deafening until Raven stepped forward with grace.

"Good evening." Raven smiled sweetly and stepped around Mikhail even as he hissed a warning in her mind. She faltered momentarily as Constantine held her gaze. The intensity of his eyes was unimaginable. The power impossible. "I'm sorry that I don't recognize you, but that is only another reason that we should overcome that. It can be difficult for my husband to be civil, I know, but I'm sure that we can…"

Constantine's eyes overpowered Raven. Breath left from her throat and she forgot what she was saying. Even more astounding, there was no trace of him in her mind. Constantine surveyed her harshly. Soft, pale skin. Long, luxurious hair. The embodiment of purity itself. It was so tempting to wreak havoc with her mind, but he didn't have the time. Dominov was becoming more and more threatening with every passing second, and the moment he found Alena's exact location would be the moment he killed them all.

"Alas," Constantine spoke with a velvet caress, "I lament the days when women worshipped in the presence of true power. Women once begged me to take them as my lifemate, to end the threat of vampires. Sarantha, as I recall, was one of them."

"Do not blaspheme!" Mikhail yanked Raven behind him roughly and waited to see Constantine's reaction. A fight between them would not end well.

"As tempting as it is to cross verbal, and perhaps more literal, swords, that would only waste precious time. Dominov is alive, as alive as I, and he is very unstable. That girl is his lifemate and he will stop at nothing to have her. I only warn because as we speak both he and every other Carpathian are on their way to meet with their prince." Constantine reached out with his mind and easily caught hold of Alena. Without making her known to his intentions, he called her into the room. She appeared only a moment later.

"You are so young." He could not keep the surprise from his voice. Even from what Dominov said, Constantine had not expected a child. Pain was etched into her mind. His persona suddenly became gentle and genial. At the very least, he should respect her on behalf of Dominov.

"Good evening, Alena. I am Constantine Tempest, a friend of Dominov." Neither Mikhail nor Gregori expected the sudden change, and neither were set at ease by it.

"He's mentioned you," Alena replied. Friend or no, Constantine appeared every bit as lethal as Dominov.

His voice lowered an octave. "You are in pain, Alena. Allow me to ease your suffering." He held her enthralled by his voice, and she could do no other than agree. "I will heal you the moment I can, but at the moment I must ask you wait for me here." Constantine waved a hand carelessly pointing to the room next to them. Alena stared at him for a moment, half taken by his power and half struggling against him. Yet she obeyed him and walked across the room and through the doorway.

Mikhail and Gregori chose quickly. Savannah and Raven were more important to them than Alena Saunders, so they ushered the two other women to follow Alena into a secluded room away from this dangerous man. Then they placed themselves between the door and this lethal ancient.

"I believe someone is waiting at the door." Savage delight rippled behind Constantine's eyes. He was so enveloped by the darkness within him that he reveled in their fear and unease. Mikhail and Gregori could not help but wonder what kept him from turning completely.

"You should accompany us. If it is Dominov, then-"

"If it is Dominov, then the only one of us who will escape him alive is little Alena, and even she does not have much hope. That is the only drawback to sleeping for hundreds of years at a time, one falls beneath the weight of emotion so much easier. Or so I hear." Constantine's voice held a soft purr, an almost loving growl.

Fear and worry pulled at Mikhail's mind. Though this time it was not his own. Carpathians were gathering outside his home, fearing for their Prince and themselves. There was no time to argue with Constantine; Mikhail had to trust Gregori to maintain the situation with Constantine as he reassured his people. Constantine smirked as Mikhail left the room.

Gathered in front of the door to Mikhail's home, trying in vain to protect themselves from the gale, stood the Carpathians. Jacques, Shea, Vlad, Eleanor, Byron, Julian, Aidan, Tienn, Diedre, Lucian, Gabriel, Eric, Celeste, and others all gathered. The women bore expressions of fear and concern as the men desperately tried to hide their emotion. Mikhail was awestruck. Jacques spoke first.

"Mikhail!" His voice was forced calm but his eyes shone with relief. "We feared you lost. Where is Gregori?" It made sense. With the force and breadth of the storm, the Carpathians believed that either Gregori or Mikhail had become vampire, and had come to offer help to whoever needed.

"Breathe easy. There is no threat of a vampire here." There was no need to alarm the entire population of Carpathians with the news of Constantine and Dominov. In fact it was better that they all left the area, with the exception of Jacques and Shea. "Your concern is touching and your willingness to protect our kind. It would be in best interest to shield yourselves from the storm." Some Carpathians sent him looks of mistrust and skepticism, but his orders went unchallenged. Slowly, one by one, the Carpathians left Mikhail's home until only the prince, Jacques, and Shea stood in the vicious weather. They all entered the house to discover sparks crackling between Gregori and Constantine. Neither had left their post nor spoken, a silent challenge and neither party was willing to blink.

Jacques eyed Constantine with suspicion and stepped easily in front of Shea. He could sense immense power, as Constantine was arrogant enough to display it proudly. But Shea roughly pushed Jacques aside. "Alright, macho-man, enough with the displays." At a nod from Mikhail, he slowly moved. Mikhail quickly relayed the story to his brother, who returned with swift doubt. _It is impossible. No Carpathian can prolong death for that long, and there were witnesses who swore they had seen Constantine Tempest and Dominov Fane walk into the sun!_

"Actually, it was I who swore that Dominov had walked into the sun, then Christian for me." They were all stunned. Constantine had heard a private conversation between Mikhail and Jacques with seemingly effortless ease. "Now, we have kept the girl waiting long enough." Before anyone could protest, Constantine opened the door and walked casually into the room that held Raven, Savannah, and Alena. Time was growing short. Dominov was hurtling nearer, searching in every way possible for his lifemate.

Alena no longer looked afraid. Denial was setting in. She had convinced herself that Dominov could not possibly have harmed her. Not the man who had shared so much of himself with her in such a short time. And Savannah and Raven didn't know how to approach the subject except with more questions.

"Alena, I know that this is hard but isn't it possible that-" Savannah sounded desperate, much to Constantine's cruel humor.

"Possible? Anything is possible!" Alena too was exasperated and fully fed up with being questioned. "Crazy things happen around him. He's spoken a word and changed people's thoughts. He's spoken to me telepathically. I bet it was him who changed the weather. You may not believe it, but it's true! So why-" Alena stopped, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. She glanced up at Constantine and saw a mocking smirk playing at his mouth. His dark persona was so much like Dominov's that they had to be similar. "You're just like him, aren't you? You all are. How?"

Constantine didn't try to set her at ease; she didn't look upset except that it took her so long to discover their power. "That is a story better left for him. Simply know that I can heal you in an instant, but first a few more questions if you would indulge me." She didn't respond, so he began. "How did you come to meet him?"

"I was playing the piano and he showed up and started talking to me."

"Did he frighten you?"

She didn't want to answer his questions, but was compelled his voice and power. "Yes."

"How long have you known him?"

"Two days."

"Wrong. Five. Why did you want to see him again?"

"I had a dream about him." A red flush covered her cheeks, but Constantine didn't seem to notice.

"By him. What happened in those three days?"

"I don't remember." His voice wove a spell around her. She had no choice but to answer.

"You were attacked. He was poisoned. How were you injured?"

"I don't remember."

"You were abused. Where do you remember waking up?"

"In his bed."

"What did he say to you?"

"He called me his lifemate."

"Do you know what that means?"

"No."

"You are destined to be together or you will both die. Did he make love to you?"

"Yes."

"The ritual was not completed. Why?"

"He tried to bite me."

"Has he bitten you before?"

"No."

"And when he tried, you saw flashes of him abusing you?"

"Yes."

"Enough!" Jacques's voice cut through the air. He was the first to break out of Constantine's spell. Raven, Savannah, Shea, and even Gregori and Mikhail all shook their heads to clear the heaviness from their minds.

Alena had a look of awe. Constantine held no pity, no patronizing sympathy, nothing except the desire for information and the cold retelling of it. In that instant he was the only one she wanted to be around. "Do you know what happened to me?"

"No more than what can be told from your body. What happened after he left you in your kitchen?"

Alena shook her head. She pressed her eyelids together in thought, but her mind came up blank. "I can't remember that far back."

"That is enough!" Jacques remembered what it was like to be left in darkness with no memory of who you are or what you have become. He knew the pain of trying to remember your life and what it held. And he knew the despair of not being able to. That was the very reason Mikhail had requested he stay. Recovery had only been capable with Shea there with him. He could not imagine what would have happened if he had truly doubted his lifemate's intentions and actions.

Jacques moved to place himself between Constantine and Alena, feeling a whirl of emotions at relating to her predicament. As he moved closer to her, his hand brushed her arm unintentionally. There was a sudden shift in the air. Wild, savage, uninhibited power locked onto them. With strength that none of them had ever known existed, the wall was ripped open and Jacques was pulled into the night, held tightly in Dominov's promise of death.

**Again, I'm very sorry that it took so long. And the story itself was actually a lot longer than I had anticipated, so I'm making this into Chapter 6 Part 1. Part 2 will be out very soon (hopefully) and have more action, but I realize I got slightly long winded with emotions and descriptions (I like Constantine best so I wanted to make you all got a taste of what he's like). Reviews are always appreciated! **


	7. Chapter 6 Part II

**Author's Note: As always, thanks to those who reviewed. I love it. I hope the last chapter wasn't too painful, and, as promised, here is Chapter 6 Part 2. Just to let you know, I got really long winded again.**

**Amathest: It's not rude of you to say at all. I'm sorry you got that vibe; I thought I had explained myself thoroughly, but I guess not. The whole point of this section is that Dominov is losing control. Think about it, a Carpathian male with an abused lifemate who is suddenly taken away and he can't get into her mind. That's not going to inspire a lot of trust. I thought I got that point to come across, but I didn't want to blatantly state it since I am going to elaborate on it in this chapter.**

**Just a thought to kick around: I fully intend on continuing this series. The order of Carpathians to find their lifemates: Nicolae, Constantine, Christian, and Liam (you'll meet him in Nicolae's story). I've started writing some of the stories already, and I've already planned out family trees, but I don't see the point of continuing if no one wants to read it. Really, I seriously want to continue, so let me know if you're interested in reading any more of my writing. Enjoy!**

There was no time to scream, no time to gasp, or even to think. Jacques had been sucked through a maelstrom of power, unable to defend himself against the furious wrath, to be held pinned against a tree by only the hatred in Dominov's mind. Dominov stood motionless, his face surprisingly blank, . Ten feet separated Dominov from where Jacques was held in front of him, another ten from Mikhail's partially destroyed home which lay behind him. He seemed unbothered in the midst of the storm. Slowly, agonizingly, Dominov was crushing down on Jacques's mind, bringing the darkness to consume him.

Gregori and Mikhail reacted quickly. They leapt between Dominov and the women, instinctively securing Raven and Savannah before the other two. The two men stood in front of the missing wall, allowing the torrential rain and gales to fire at them rather than the Carpathian women. Yet the storm also prevented them from rushing to save Jacques.

Shea's face contorted in horror. She would have run to Jacques, tried her best to save him from this monster no matter what the cost. Even if she lost herself to the beast destroying her lifemate, Shea would have seen to it that Jacques was safe. But Mikhail and Gregori were blocking the path to her lifemate, and there was no way that she could have escaped them and fought her way through the gale.

Constantine stood motionless against the wall. He recognized the look of hard will and determination that was set on the red hair's face. He might even have believed it if not for the fear that shone in her eyes. It was so tempting to wreak havoc with her mind. Only a whisper and Constantine could send out into the gale to die with her lifemate. The darkness called at to him, caressed him, tugged at the very center of his soul.

But Dominov's soul was more important.

Alena had been thrown backwards with the force. Dominov had intentionally moved her away from the danger, although the idea of three Carpathian males separating had not been overlooked. She was too shocked to move from her place. Dominov was the last person she wanted to see, but her heart still skipped a beat as she watched him. He was imperious, commanding, demanding in every way. The gale blew around him, a black cape snapping behind him. Sheets of rain slammed down around him, but he was giving off such waves of fury that the water evaporated the moment it came near him. To every appearance, Dominov was emotionless, calm and dry, the only semblance of emotions flashing in his eyes.

He was calling for her. She could feel it. Not as evidently as the first night met, almost as though a thin sheet separated their minds, but Dominov's will made itself known all the same. Soft whispers of sorrow and promises of love. Alena's own mind reached out in response. He beckoned her with the sincerity she knew him for. They never touched, something prevented it, and Alena was partially glad that she didn't have to face him in the privacy of her mind. Yet eternity lay just beyond the haze.

Still, she recoiled all the same. Not only could Alena feel his love, but also his hatred. It burned and blazed, barely contained from her mind by the gossamer veil that separated them. Jacques, an innocent man by her thoughts, was held in a thrall of death for committing no crime. Still there was no sign of care on Dominov's face, or in his mind. He was lengthening the kill, holding Jacques suspended for his own twisted pleasure. Surely such a ruthless man could not be capable of love.

"Make him stop!" Alena choked out, her eyes fastened in horror upon Constantine.

"There is nothing I can do or say to cease his actions." The reply was calm, completely devoid of all care.

"You're exactly the same!" Alena accused. "How can you not care what happens to him?!"

Constantine's eyes fired over her, analyzing her mind with complete degradation and contempt. "You hold the feeble mind of a woman. Do you not remember what I told you?" He walked forward, bent and lowered his mouth to her ear. His voice was lethal and sent shivers down Alena's spine. "You are the lifemate to Dominov Fane. He will kill anyone and everyone who threatens to separate you from him."

"How do I make him stop?" Alena's instinctive thought was to run away, find her father and ask for protection he had never given her in the past.

"No. You will only bring death to your family." Constantine watched her inner struggle with cruel amusement. Alena had never before been faced with true passion, not anger or hatred or love or betrayal of this magnitude. Every instinct she had told her to run as far and as fast as she could.

_You cannot run. Dominov will find you. You must believe me when I say that he will never let you go. Accept it; accept that you must face him. And in doing so perhaps you could save another life_. For a brief moment Constantine wished that he would never find his lifemate, or, at the very least, that she would be nothing like Alena Saunders, for he would quickly tangle her in his web of mental tortures.

Alena's heart shuddered. She looked out into the night. Shea had tears streaming down her cheeks, her face pale white with fear. Jacques's face was distorted with pain. His hands ripped at his throat to find the unseen hands that were blocking his airway. Blood was now running freely from his nose and mouth. Alena nodded slightly, an almost undetectable motion.

"Stop!" The word was barely a whisper. She pushed herself off the wall, her heart pounding wildly. There was no way she could let Dominov kill Jacques. "Stop! Dominov, stop!" With the help of Constantine's mental force, Alena pushed past Mikhail and Gregori until nothing separated her from the phantom of death that claimed to love her. She was pelted with rain and small hail chunks bit at her skin. "Dominov, stop it!" He could hear her, Alena was sure of it. But there was so much death in his mind that he was unwilling to listen.

"Dominov, stop! He wasn't going to hurt me!"

For the first time, Dominov acknowledged that he and Jacques were not alone. Upon hearing his lifemate's pained call to him, he turned slowly, deliberately, and drew Alena's fearful gaze into the depths of his eyes. He walked slowly towards, never relinquishing his hold on Jacques, until only inches separated them. As he stared into eyes that revealed her entire mind, it was painfully clear to Dominov that Alena Saunders was a scared child whom he had dragged into a world of grief and pain.

"You have no idea what he could have done to you." Dominov's voice was a soft hiss, lethal in every way.

"Everything you could do, I'm sure." Alena's reply was harsher than expected.

Dominov didn't blink. In fact, he was mildly amused by her spirit, but defending a male who would have hurt her was beyond independent spirit. It was foolish and dangerous. Dominov sent out a mental wave was hit Jacques with force enough to lash his arms and legs against, pinning him so that he was unable to move. Blood sputtered down his chin.

"Stop! Please let him go! He was just trying to keep me from hurting!" Alena was desperate, her eyes flashing from Jacques to Dominov.

"I am keeping you safe."

"He was saving me! Stop!" Tears stung her eyes. Dominov's form blocked the storm, and he used its force to keep Gregori and Mikhail at bay. Alena's pain stung his heart.

"I cannot hurt you," Dominov whispered, trying to quell her fears with tenderness. He reached out to expel her tears.

"You're hurting me now."

Jacques dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. The storm lessened and Shea rushed past him, seeing that Dominov's entire attention was on Alena. She turned her face away from his touch and his heart contracted. Tentatively, Dominov reached out for her mind, but found it blocked with barriers that could not have been hers. Yet as he examined her, he realized that Alena had no knowledge of the invader in her mind.

"Do you know what happened to me?"

"Good evening, Dominov." Constantine said softly, no trace of any emotion in his voice. "We are glad of your return. You need no one to inform you that your lifemate is in pain. I will heal her, if you will permit it." Dominov was dangerous, on edge, and needed to feel as though he was in control even as another male approached his lifemate. So Constantine took all independence away from Alena and placed it in Dominov's hands. Yet Alena seemed more preoccupied with her memories to care.

"Very well," came the tense approval. There was no way to leave her in pain. Her body was soar, her mind exhausted, and her hip was still fragmented and filled with metal. Dominov had no hope left for her womb. Feeling overpowered, Alena followed as Dominov ushered her back into Mikhail's home, confident even in another Carpathian's home.

They waited. Gregori and Mikhail did not dare leave Raven and Savannah in order to care for Jacques. The women stood tightly, mother and daughter clinging hands, faces paler than usual, but brave all the same. Constantine's repose was the same as ever, his gaze, waiting expectantly, rested on Dominov.

_Put her to sleep_, Constantine ordered after a moment.

Dominov, who had already tried several times in vain, replied with controlled disappointment, _I cannot. Her mind is blocked from me._

_It is blocked from yours alone._ Years of friendship caused Constantine to reach into Alena's mind and send her to sleep while allowing all others to believe it was Dominov's work. Once she was firmly placed in sleep, Constantine effortlessly mended the room, cleared it of all damage and summoned a bed, where Dominov gently laid his lifemate.

_They expend energy so carelessly, even in the coming hours of the dawn_, Gregori observed.

_Jacques is still out there and Shea with him. We cannot allow them to face the storm in his current state. _Tense silence passed between their minds. Even they acknowledged that they could not defeat Dominov in his rage.

Bravely, and somewhat foolishly, Mikhail voiced his concerns. "My brother needs healing. It will be dawn in but two hours."

"Then heal your brother." Mikhail hesitated, not wanting to leave his wife and daughter.

Constantine gave mocking reassurance. "We have but one concern at the moment. You may bring your brother and his lifemate inside."

Gregori kept a firm hold on Raven and Savannah as Mikhail exited the room. Even he had to admit that he was interested in seeing the legendary healer Constantine Tempest at work. "I have already examined the girl. Her hip is damaged badly and there is irreparable damage to her womb," he challenged.

"Indeed," Constantine replied smugly, earning a dangerous glare from Dominov at spinning his wicked games. In order to placate his ancient friend, Constantine stood two feet away from the edge of the bed and worked from there. However, his arrogance took hold and he refused to begin the healing until everyone was present to witness it.

"I hold you responsible should your selfishness cause harm," Dominov warned. Yet Mikhail reentered only a moment later with Jacques trying to maintain his poise through his exhaustion and Shea beside him. They edged around Dominov, making sure that he was on the other side of the room with Constantine in between as a make-shift peace keeper. Jacques was not in mortal danger, so Gregori waited to heal him until Constantine's display was over, not trusting the ancient to heal Dominov's hatred.

"Work. Now."

"Of course." Constantine did not even close his eyes. They roamed freely over Alena, seeing past her skin to the inner workings. "Three cracked fingers, bruised ribs, no damage to internal organs, three metal screws in her left hip piece together the shattered bones, and a scarred womb."

"Damaged beyond repair," Gregori supplied. He already knew this, he examined Alena hours ago.

Constantine stepped forward and extended a hand until it rested a foot above her hip. He closed his eyes and extended his mind's eye to see the damages. Then, effortlessly, he extracted the metal, melting it into particles so thin that they passed harmlessly through her pores and formed as a solid in Dominov's hands. In another brief second the bones had mended.

Gregori was aghast. He had never before heard of such a thing. There had been no chanting, to flux of power, not even the intense concentration that he himself used so many times.

"Perhaps not," Constantine continued. "There is a way. It is quite a simple procedure, and in her current state, the girl would feel nothing."

_No! She will never bleed for another male! _ Dominov ordered instantly. He knew what the procedure consisted of and would never have allowed such a barbaric attack on his lifemate. But years of friendship took affect. Constantine was aware of Dominov's limitations and would not cross them, so Dominov allowed Constantine to further display his power, the only pleasure left for his twisted mind. And neither of them, no matter how heinous a topic or suggestion appeared, would ever openly betray the other and takes sides with Mikhail or Gregori, allowing the others to hear.

_Very well_. "It merely involves removing the inside lining of the womb to the point where all the scar tissue is gone and blood runs freely. Then, it will be healed over before any harm to come to the girl."

"It's savage!" Shea exclaimed.

"How do you know this?" Mikhail demanded. Experimenting on women was forbidden, and only vampires went against that law.

"I have been absent a long time," Constantine replied scornfully.

"Enough." In this moment, Dominov's word was law. "What did this to her?"

"It is difficult to tell," Gregori began, but was cut off by Constantine.

"No, it is not. The scarring is severe, indicating that she was abused far more times than once."

"What kind of man could something like that?" Savannah wondered in disgust.

Constantine turned towards her with a slight smirk. "It is unclear how much of the male anatomy you are familiar with, but I have never encountered a man who could do such damage with his genitals. Knives or short swords, perhaps. Without a doubt a vampire whose whole goal was to rob the girl of her ability to reproduce, thus displacing a valuable resource for our people."

"Alena," Dominov whispered.

"What?" Constantine responded rudely, not understanding the point of Dominov's comment.

"Her name is Alena." It was a warning.

"Yes, indeed it is," Constantine replied. His friend's need to humanize the girl did not affect Constantine and his grey world.

"Whoever it was would have to have known that she was your lifemate," Jacques began, spite creeping into his voice. "And since only the two of knew you of false deaths, the suspects are few."

"Do not insinuate that I have mortally wounded my lifemate." Dominov growled with lethal force. "Only monsters are capable of such atrocities."

"I remember well what those monsters can do," Jacques and Dominov were entering a challenge, one that neither was willing to lose.

_Be at ease, brother_, Mikhail advised. _They are Titans of our race, and Dominov Fane is very unstable._

_Mikhail, _Raven ventured_, we can't leave Alena alone with them, and she deserves to know what happened._

_I have no intentions of deserting her to their cruelty, my love. I am unsure of whether she truly is his lifemate, but Alena is still underage and therefore under my protection._

Both Constantine and Dominov heard the mental conversation, but gave no notice. Instead, Constantine attempted to reassume their camaraderie. _The sun will soon arise._

_The sun no longer holds its sway, for either of us, I am sure. _Dominov's voice lacked emotion, all of his thoughts on the horrors he had seen placed in Alena's mind.

_You have given me your word on the matter, and I believe that Alena's wounds are beyond your doing._

_I do not owe you my word._

_Perhaps not, but I can assure you that she does not know what to think. _

_You have seen into her mind?_

_It is quite a simple task. I thought, for a moment, you had forgotten the old ways of tracking. I worried perhaps I would have to find you myself. It was you who nearly attacked Gregori. It was a statement, not a question._

_Indeed. Then I was shut out of her mind again, and sought yours. Though I did not expect to find it open to me._

_Someone is working against you, and vampires grow weakest in the hours of day. _Their eyes met, and together they formed a plan.

"We must seek shelter as the dawn fast approaches," Constantine stated smoothly.

Mikhail looked shocked. He had been certain that the ancients would refuse to leave. In question, Mikhail shot Dominov an inquisitive glance.

"She must eat," came the tense reply. "Soon. I have given her blood twice, so the intake will be difficult."

Sensing the hurt of not being able to care for his lifemate (and, of course, an effort to placate Dominov's fury), Mikhail offered a response. "She will remain asleep until your return."

Dominov nodded slightly. Satisfied with the course of actions, Constantine allowed his form to waver and disappear. Dominov lingered a moment, his eyes resting on Alena's small figure. Then his form shimmered as well, and before he disappeared, he raised his eyes, now red with bloodlust, to meet Jacques's gaze.

Mikhail opened a mental link to Jacques and Gregori. _We must take great care in this subject. Constantine Tempest and Dominov Fane clearly harbor no cares for our people. Dominov would kill every one of us if he believed it would gain him Alena._

**Ok. So, I got really long winded. I promise the next chapter will have Alena when she's not unconscious. More of the plot line and romance with unfold. Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Alright, so I've been thinking. The order that I gave you last chapter was what I thought I was going to do, but my stories tend to follow a darker, more intense path. Nicolae and Constantine would both follow that dramatic darkness. It occurred to me that maybe you lovely readers would want a less oppressive story somewhere (Christian's, for example, is going to be more lighthearted). So, I'll be taking requests and suggestions from anyone who wants to hear a story about a particular Carpathian I've come up with. I can give you all family trees if you want (since there are a few Carpathians that I've left out – Constantine's nieces, for example). Bottom line, I'm always open for suggestions.**

**I really am sorry that it's taking me so long to update. But I am trying, so just stick with me and I promise I'll pull through. Besides, in just a few more chapters, Dark Deception will be complete. Exciting, isn't it?**

A ray of sunlight peered through the thick curtains and fell across Alena's eyes. She groaned and stirred as Constantine's hold on her lessened. She awoke in a daze. Her entire body protested against the sunlight and somehow she felt her skin sizzle at its touch. But in the same way that Constantine had forbidden to her to wake, he now forbade sleep.

Alena rose from the bed, curious as to why there was a bed in the drawing room. She briefly wondered how she had come to sleep until close to noon and why she was alone, since her last memories included a roomful of people and an early morning gale. She stretched luxuriously, hoping that the movements would shake off some of the exhaustion clouding her mind. But, Alena soon realized with happiness, her entire body was pain free.

Dominov watched her from the corner, his body shielded from her eyes. He hated being forced to hide from her, the woman he so longed for, but certain precautions had to be taken. Even without the bonding ritual, his body and mind already demanded hers. And the price of his need was heavily taxing. As he watched her young, lithe body move freely, Dominov felt every inch of him burn for her. Every second he was unable to hold her in his arms, feel her body and mind with his, was a second that pushed him closer to madness. Madness that almost caused the death of a fellow Carpathian.

He reached into her mind testing the barriers. All resistance was gone. Constantine had been correct: sunlight demanded the energy of Carpathians and left them weak, but vampires were forced to ground at the first rays of light and left all but powerless. And with the rising of the sun came the waning of the vampire's telepathic hold.

It was now past noon, when the sun was at its highest and both vampires and Carpathians are their weakest. Neither Dominov nor Alena had truly slept or eaten in a day, and the sun was taxing Dominov heavily, but he would have sacrificed everything to have even a minute with Alena's mind free. Dominov lifted his spell of hiding and watched as Alena crossed the room to close the curtains. She squinted against the sunlight and didn't understand why. She had always loved the day, reveled in the songs of nature and how they differed from day to night. But now daylight seemed an alien concept for her to shy away from. With the foolish determination of youth, Alena cracked the curtain and attempted to look at her surroundings, but withdrew as the light stung her eyes.

"It is not a good idea to test the sunlight," Dominov chided softly.

Alena spun around. She had believed that she was alone, but the sight of him made her heart beat a little faster. "Why does this scene seem so familiar to me?" she asked sarcastically, but with a hint of a smile to her voice.

"I assure you it will have a different ending," Dominov promised, waiting for the awful moment when she would recall the false memories and tear herself away from him in horror. But that moment never came.

Testing his limitations with her, Dominov stepped forward and observed Alena's reactions. He took another step, then another. She laughed softly at his bizarre behavior, and he knew that she was safe from whatever vampire had been tormenting her with. At least until the sun went down, Dominov would be able to keep her to himself.

"Are we learning the Robot?" Alena asked innocently, mimicking the dance with slight arm movements.

"You are very rude," Dominov replied with a hint of smirk playing around his mouth. He had no idea what the Robot was, but it didn't matter as long as Alena was smiling.

"No, rude is spying on a person when they're sleeping. Even if they happen to be sleeping in the drawing room." Her mind called out to his, subconsciously beckoning to him to close the space between them. Surprisingly, her conscious mind did not shy away from her feelings.

Unable to bear the separation any longer, Dominov used his preternatural speed to cross the room and, so delighted was he in the absence of the vampiric presence, that he pressed his mouth onto hers. Alena was taken by surprise, but sank willingly into his arms. He enveloped her mind, needing the connection to bring them closer together, trying to decipher what were really her memories and what false ones had been planted. But his body was overrun with need. The need for her body, mind, and blood. Desire rose sharply and sent flames coursing over Alena's skin, passing back and forth as he ran his hands over her arms, needing the feel of her bare skin. Hunger beat at Dominov from the very core of his soul.

Lightning erupted between them. Sparks crackled in what little space was left between their bodies. Fire shot through Alena's body, coursed through her veins and his. Dark emotions rushed through her mind, erotic thoughts passed between them. The ancient feelings, absent from Dominov for so long, were transferred and echoed through Alena's entire being.

Grudgingly, Dominov broke the kiss, but kept their bodies pressed tightly together and his arms anchored around her waist. His lips trailed softly by her mouth, stealing kisses at the corners of her lips.

"Were you afraid I wouldn't remember you?" Alena whispered. Her lips tingled and held an imprint of his. Being so close to him made her blood burn. The knowledge that only a thin layer of fabric separated their bodies seemed erotic in the dull of glow of sunlight.

"I could not be certain," Dominov breathed against her mouth. He delved further into her mind, determined to bring her as close to him as possible.

Had it not been for the strain in his voice, the barely audible note of desperation, Alena would have thought he was joking. But Dominov was not a man who joked easily, she knew, and especially not at a time like this. She could feel his desire pressing against her, and for once she didn't shy away. It was as though some primal need was being fulfilled, something so deep within her that it lacked a name. Dominov's mere presence eased her soul to the point where she desired his touch, mental and physical, beyond anything else.

All at once, Dominov's inner demons died away and roared to life. His fury at being forced away from his lifemate was gone; no longer was anyone at risk of death, save the vampire that caused Alena's pain. But with every touch of skin came the howling primal beast that called for relief. His inner being demanded that he complete the ritual and bind Alena to him so powerfully that no force on earth could tear her away from him.

"What do you remember?" The question was muffled as Dominov bent to press his lips against hers once more. Unable to fight temptation any longer, one hand slipped beneath her shirt to cradle her waist, the other traced the lines of her neck and cheekbones. Her pulse beat erratically beneath his fingers, yet as he caressed it, it slowed to match his. Dark desire pooled in his abdomen, primitive instincts beat wildly through his soul.

"It was like a nightmare," Alena confessed, her voice and mind half filled with terror, half with ecstasy. Dominov's lips trailed down her neck to find the sweet pulse of her blood. Every where his hands touched left tingles, his lips trailed burning heat. Alena's arms snaked up his strong, hard body. One felt the muscles of his chest and arms while the other could not resist tangling in the thick masses of his dark brown hair.

That was all the consent he needed. Dominov's mouth found her pulse. His teeth raked gently, sending erotic shivers down her spine. His tongue swirled in a sensuous movement meant to ease her heart's frantic pounding. Fangs lengthened in his mouth and he nipped gently at the skin, feeling a drop of her sweet blood slip onto his tongue.

Yet it seemed as though the wicked magic of the vampire had not completely diminished, for at that moment Alena's mind cleared enough for her to remember a troubling topic.

"You were going to kill him, weren't you?"

Dominov swore foully in his mind, both at himself and at whatever stroke of ill fortune had begotten him in his three thousand years of life. The demon in him was ready to sink his fangs into her and take as much of her sweet blood as possible, regardless of whether or not she thought he was a ruthless killer. But whatever was left of his common sense knew that her question needed addressing first. She needed to know what he was and what she would become.

"There are things we must discuss," he said sternly, lifting his head to gaze down into her bright eyes. There had been no accusation in her voice, no hurt or betrayal. Only a soft statement of fact.

With the combination of her gift of empathy and Dominov's tight mental contact with her, Alena could easily sense his troubled mind. "People do things they're not proud of," she consoled, tangling her fingers with his. But she misread his grief for shame. Grief for knowing that she had endured some unspeakable trauma, and shame for not protecting her as he should.

"I would have ensured your safety." His voice held the imperious tone of finality, though he searched her eyes and mind for any sign of repulsion or fear. Masculine dominance was present in every cell of his body. She knew it would be pointless trying to argue with him, but tried anyway.

"I wasn't in any danger." Again, Alena's voice held only traces of confusion and wonder. The lack of disdain in her voice, the almost presence of acceptance, melted Dominov's heart.

"You are very young, _la bella_. You cannot know the way my people think. Not yet." In that moment, he hated the naïveté of her youth.

"You're a vampire, aren't you?" Her voice was barely a whisper, so filled with awe and wonder that Dominov was forced to close his eyes. She may not have known what a true vampire was, but he could tell from her mind and expression that the idea of Dominov being of another race only made her more accepting of him. Childish fantasies ran rampant through her mind, filled with desire and longing, calling for her dark savior to take her away from her dreary world and transport her to a place of wonder. And Alena saw Dominov as just that, her Dark Savior.

"No. Not that, never that." It was a statement made with complete conviction, and the care present in her mind only made Dominov more confident that he had truly been saved.

"You were going to bite me. I saw it in your mind." Again, Alena's voice held no disdain, no repulsion, or fear. "The fact that I can see into your mind is all your doing; it has nothing to do with me."

"I am not a vampire," he repeated sternly. Dominov was convinced that he would never become one so long as he held Alena in his arms. "I am a Carpathian."

Alena's eyes narrowed, then widened with dawning comprehension. "They're true, then, the stories they tell here, the strange behavior of the natives."

"We are not specimen to be used for observation by savage humans. We are gifted people of a different species. We have gifts, Alena, not curses." Alena looked away from him, her eyes clouded with doubt. She wanted nothing more than to believe what he was saying, but still the knowledge of an entirely different species was difficult to swallow. Dominov continued in the hopes of banishing her doubts. "You have seen some of my talents. You know that I can achieve actions any human could not. Look into my mind and you will see."

Alena dropped her arms. The direct contact was swirling his thoughts and emotions with hers, making it difficult to come to any of her own conclusions. Dominov released her, watching as she moved unconsciously towards the piano. He was content to let silence pass between them as he shielded himself in her mind. He was unwilling to leave her mind completely, but recognized her desire to think for herself in what she believed was the privacy of her own mind. That, of course, would not stop him from lightly pushing her towards accepting him and his people. He had come too far to allow the fear of the unknown to remove his lifemate from him.

"You said 'some of my talents.' What else can you do?"

"I can do anything, _la bella_." Her initial response was that of a child. _Like what_? Sarcasm and doubt rang through every syllable. Alena checked herself before blurting out the thought aloud, but it did not prevent Dominov from catching the challenging statement. He answered anyway. "If you require a demonstration, merely ask and I will show you anything you desire."

_Merely look into my mind and you will know that I speak the truth._ It hung in the air, an open invitation that Alena was reluctant to accept.

"What about your people?" Alena had seen him change a person's thoughts by speaking a word, nearly kill a man without touching him, and make the air spark with emotion. There was no need to test his abilities further, and, truthfully, she was afraid of what else he might do.

"Carpathians are an ancient species. We live extended lifetimes and are at one with the earth. We soar with the owl, run with the wolf. I command the winds and the rain, draw lightning down at my will, and mold the earth as I see fit. I myself am one of the oldest of my species, being-"

"I don't really want to know how old you are." Alena interrupted quickly. It was bad enough when she thought he was twenty years older than her, but she was suddenly picturing Dominov standing in a forest with dinosaurs thundering around him. Without conscious thought, her fingers began to dance across the keys, brushing the air over them without actually striking a note. She needed the comfort of familiarity, and nothing came easier to her than playing the piano.

"Constantine is just like you, isn't he? And Raven and Savannah and everyone else I've met here?" They were not really questions, but Dominov answered all the same.

"Indeed. Our life comes with a price, Alena. Our males lose all emotion after two hundred years. They cannot see color nor can they feel. The darkness in their soul spreads and they must spend their entire lives fighting it off, or they risk becoming the undead. The vampire." A shadow passed over his face, making his perfect features turn cold and harsh. Cruelty was etched in every line. "We must find our lifemate, the woman who will bring back emotion and life into our dead lives. She will allow us to love again."

Dominov's onyx eyes burned holes into her skin. He was watching for any gesture, any blink of an eye that would give away her emotions, though he needn't have. Alena wore her emotions openly, her heart in her eyes. And in her eyes there was only compassion. She saw from the look in his eyes the echoes of pain that had been caused in his life. The ever-present battle against his demons. Somehow her fingers found the keys, molding a beautiful, somber melody meant to his ease him. Her beautiful eyes prompted him to say more.

"I fought this battle for three thousand years. Now I have found you, Alena, and I cannot let you go. Please do not ask that of me." He was openly begging, leaving himself vulnerable to her.

Every word he spoke was the truth. Alena knew it to the very core of her soul. She had seen the fight within him, felt his passion, witnessed him nearly kill a man the night before. She was drawn to him, wanting with every cell in her being to soothe his troubles, end the fight for him. Because she loved him.

"Constantine said that we would either be together or die." It may have been a statement, but Alena was searching for an explanation about his people and their customs.

"It is true. Lifemates exist as two separate parts of one soul that must be brought together. As I have said, males will eventually fall under the weight of darkness without their lifemate. But if lifemates are brought together, then wrenched apart, existence is impossible." Dominov paused, feeling the weight his words were bearing down on her. "I cannot live without you."

"What does that mean for us?" she asked, not brave enough to meet his gaze.

Dominov's heart surged with joy. Acceptance. Love. A future. He unveiled himself again in her mind, wanting her to feel the hope she had given him. "It means that I will love you and keep you with me forever."

"But how will that be possible, since I'm human and you're Carpathian?" She paused, but Dominov had the feeling that she wasn't finished. Her fear of him was gone, only a desire to be near him forever rang through her heart. There was nothing to keep her from him, and she was more than willing to follow. "Can you make me like you?"

Dominov was at a loss for words. He had never imagined that Alena would so willingly give up her life to be like him, especially knowing so little of his race. He wrapped his mind tightly around hers and at once saw the answer. She loved him, echoed all of his feelings for her no matter what kind of nightmares she had. And she recognized that there was nothing for her in her human life, save for music. There was nothing left to anchor her to her current life, and she would stay with Dominov to the end.

"You cannot understand what happiness you have given me," Dominov whispered. His chest was tight and breathing was difficult when he was so close to her.

**A bit less than a cliffhanger, but not all of my chapters can send with such drama. Sorry it took so long. Read and review!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I know, it's been an inordinate amount of time since my last update, and for that I apologize profusely. What I can say is that the story of Dominov and Alena is almost finished. I know that I've started posting the story of Constantine, but everything that happens in this story takes place before Dark Child. I got impatient, I know and I'm sorry. Still, I hope you like what remains of Dark Deception. Reviews are always welcome. Enjoy!**

Dominov swept across the space of the room and gathered Alena in his arms, crushing her to his chest. She giggled with delight as he spun her in a circle and showered her with kisses. He inhaled, taking her scent deep into his body, his memory. His mind surged further into hers, hoping that he might be able to share this moment with her. Joy, pure joy.

"You can never know what gift you have given me." Dominov breathed the words into her hair, whispered them into her ear.

He was right, Alena could not understand. But it did not matter, so long as he was happy and he wanted to be with her. It made her smile that she was even able to make him so happy. He kissed her again and again until she was able to think of nothing else.

"How is it done?" she asked breathlessly, only when Dominov finally let her breathe.

"Blood exchanges. I have given you blood twice now, so once more should change you, I would think." Alena wrinkled her nose. "I am sorry. I would not have done it without your consent, but you were in dire need and as your lifemate it is my first duty to take care of you. There are healing and replenishing properties in our blood, especially the blood if ancients like myself and Constantine." There was no harm in keeping secret the pain of conversion if he was only trying to protect her, surely.

"It's not that," Alena interrupted. "I just, I'm not really a fan of blood. I get a little queasy."

"Ah." That was not exactly a promising trait in a Carpathian. Still, there were ways around that, so he had heard. "Do not fear, _bella_. I am certain I can find ways of making it more…pleasurable for the both of us." A slow smile spread across her face and she blushed and bit her lip. Dominov responded by kissing her again, relishing the slow burn that was building up inside both of them.

"Can you do it now?" she whispered.

"Are you so eager to put your past behind you?"

She looked up at him with eyes full of longing and concern. "I want to know that I belong with you, and I won't really know that until I'm like you."

Dominov held her tightly in his arms. He nuzzled her softly and inhaled her sweet scent. How easy it would be to fulfill her request. "Tonight, then, bella. Tonight, when I can take you back to my home and we can begin our forever."

"Promise?"

"I promise." His body and mind were so tired. He did not think he could protect her as he should if he were to change her now, and the change took several hours to complete. And they were still in Mikhail's home. Dominov was not about to place his lifemate in a vulnerable position among so many other Carpathian males. No. He would join her in the sleep of mortals today, and she would join him in the sleep of immortals every day into eternity.

Once he took her blood, of course. "Alena, there is something that I must do." She looked up at him expectantly. "You were right, I was going to bite you. I need to. It must be done to ensure your safety. I, I don't want to frighten you, but there is someone who means to do you harm and I intend to protect you."

"My nightmare," she whispered and he nodded.

"Whoever is hurting you is doing something to you that I cannot fight right now. You were right, I can look into your mind but he is preventing me from doing so. He is hurting you and I cannot see how." Dominov stroked Alena's cheek. It was so hard to tell her this. "You saw visions of me hurting you. I would never hurt you, Alena, and you know that. He put them there. He gave you visions of when he hurt you but he put my face in them. You ran from me when you saw them and I do not blame you. He has this power over us because he has taken your blood and I have not. He has a stronger bond with you now than I do. I cannot fight for you like this."

Alena bit her lip. "I remember," she began slowly. "I remember being in a dark room. There were chains and…it hurt. A lot. There was a man there." She gazed up at him, eyes narrowed in concentration. "He looked just like you, but his eyes were different. They were blood red. He sang to me and he made me sing it to him. I remember choking. There was so much hate in him." Her voice trailed away. It was a dull sort of pain, like looking back on an old memory of death or loss. It seemed half-buried in her mind, still.

Dominov's heart broke. Surely not, it could not be. Emilian was dead. But then, weren't he and Constantine not also considered dead? Not only had he not been there, not only had he not been able to protect her, but now this too? He couldn't tell her. He could not possibly tell his lifemate that it was his own brother who abused her. Never again, he swore. Never again.

In a surprisingly tender gesture, Alena brushed his face with her fingertips. "Don't look so sad. Please. I know what you're thinking, but you shouldn't blame yourself. I don't blame you."

"That is because you are a better person than me, _bella_." He kissed her fingertips. "So much better than I could ever be."

"You need to bite me? Bite me. I trust you." Her mind was not quite as certain as her voice.

"So simple? Just like that?" Dominov asked and Alena faltered. She bit her lip in thought, but finally nodded. He brushed the nape of her neck with his fingertips. She melted in his arms and his lips feathered across hers. "So young. So very, very young." But, as cold as it sounded, Dominov did not have time now to worry about her youth. Her safety was more important. His arms tightened around her and he kissed her deeply, weaving a spell with his lips that Alena could not fight. Not that she wanted to. She closed her eyes and savored the feel of him. Dominov was all there was, he was everywhere. His lips worked their way down her throat until he felt her racing pulse beneath his tongue. As he stroked it softly, her heartbeat slowed to match his. His teeth raked her skin and desire beat at him stronger than he had ever felt before. Alena gasped somewhere between surprise and pleasure as his teeth sank into her skin and the delicious taste of her flowed into him.

How long had Dominov waited to find his lifemate? How long dreaming of holding her and loving her. And now, when she was finally with him, free of all other influences? Her life force in his body. The rest was so close, completing the ritual and bonding her to him forever.

Dominov closed the pinkpricks in Alena's neck with a sweep of his tongue. With the taste of her still in his mouth, it was the closest he had ever come to satisfaction, to contentment. He lifted his spell slowly and watched with male smugness as she opened her eyes and stared into his. Her mind was completely open to his once again. Everything she had ever thought or felt was there. All the love and all the pain. All the exhaustion. "I love you," he whispered, and when he kissed her this time she could taste her own blood on his tongue. It was time to put her needs before his again.

"Sleep now, bella. Sleep and we will have eternity when you wake." Alena's eyelids grew heavy beneath's Dominov mental push, and he head gradually sank onto his shoulder. Picking her up as easily as though she were a doll, he set her lightly on the bed and lay down next to her. Even in her mortal sleep, Alena moved closer to him and Dominov wrapped himself around her protectively. A few hours until the night, and then she would be his forever.

**00000**

As the sun sank below the horizon, the earth parted for Mikhail and Raven in their home nestled in the Carpathian Mountains. It was a deceptively peaceful night, a mask of tranquility was readily available. And yet Mikhail knew instantly that there was something wrong. The mountains themselves seemed to reek of evil this night.

He sent out immediate word to Gregori, who answered his call almost instantly. When dealing with two such unstable ancients as Dominov Fane and Constantine Tempest, one could never be too careful. Especially with his lifemate and daughter near.

It was easy to sense the presence of two others in the house, a powerful male and a young female, whose scents were mixed together. It was not Dominov's presence that enraged Mikhail. No, he had actually expected the ancient to be here. It was the fact that even from his bedchamber Mikhail could tell their scents were mixing. She was not old enough. It could not be allowed. With Raven safely behind him, the Carpathian Prince set about his duties as the leader of his people.

By the time Mikhail and Raven had reached the drawing room, Gregori and Savannah had arrived. Mikhail quickly surpressed a grimace when he saw Constantine leaning against the wall, shroud in shadow. Of course he would be here. In the center of the room, exactly where Mikhail had left her, sat Alena on the bed. It was difficult to miss the worried lines around her eyes. Her young face was drawn and troubled in a way that her youth should not allow. And next to her sat Dominov. Concern and frustration read through his every gesture.

And he was indeed concerned and frustrated. Constantine had been correct about the dawn and now, with her blood taken, Dominov had free access into her mind. But with the coming of the night, the vampire had returned as well. Dominov was forced to fight for his lifemate within the bounds of her own mind. And it was more difficult than he thought. The vampire moved deftly in the shadows of her mind, warping memories and planting thoughts with deadly ease. Dominov fought as hard as he could, with his brows drawn in concentration as he stared at the worry painted on Alena's face. He was fighting back, trying to tell her the truth, but now she seemed more confused than ever. There was just a jumble of contrasting thoughts and emotions running through her, and she had no control whatsoever.

"Do not give up, _bella_," Dominov whispered to her, trying to fill her mind with as much love and reassurance as possible. It was difficult as he was trying to fight an attacker at the same time. "I love you."

Dominov's voice was playing constantly through her head and he sending her waves of love and comfort and belonging. _I love you, bella. Do not forget me and what we have. Forever, Alena. We will have forever._ The words and emotions kept flowing through her mind, coupled with images of violence and hatred. Sometimes it was Dominov's face, and sometimes it was a face so similar to Dominov's. The past seemed so close, and yet it was as though there was a gossamer curtain keeping a host of memories just beyond her reach. His words, if she could just focus on his words…

"I know," Alena replied, staring at her hand where it rested in between them. She did know, really she did. It was just that…her heart and her head were telling her two different things. Dominov tried to smile at her in what he thought was a reassuring way, and he moved his hand to rest atop hers. For the briefest of moments, Alena seemed to flinch pull away from him. Then, returning his smile tentatively, she closed her fingers around his.

Mikhail frowned as he watched them. There was no doubt in his mind that Dominov Fane was indeed the true lifemate to Alena Saunders, but there were still things missing. Who, for example, had kidnapped Alena and how were they going to find them? And, of course, she was underage. But bringing up any of these points to the ancient was dangerous and perhaps suicidal. If upholding the law meant putting his own lifemate and daughter at risk, was it worth it? After all, it was only a few days. An eerie feeling of his on him struck Mikhail in a way that made him feel unclean. He looked up and saw Constantine staring intently at him from the corner. Was the man smirking?

Civility seemed like the best route at the moment. "Good evening, Dominov Fane, Constantine Tempest. Good evening, Alena." Neither Dominov nor Alena seemed to register that he had spoken. Constantine nodded to him smugly. Mikhail paused and waited for a reply. When none came he continued. "Dominov, there are pressing matters that we must discuss." Still no response came.

Perhaps Mikhail's irritation at the arrogance of the ancient was beginning to show through because Constantine spoke from his corner. "Dominov is busy fighting a vampire for Alena's sanity. I would let him work."

Brief confusion flashed over Mikhail's face and the corners of Constantine's mouth twitched. There was no offer of explanation, no attempt to assuage Mikhail's apparent irritation or settle his confusion. No, Constantine seemed content to simply watch him squirm.

"I know what you are going to say," Dominov broke in. He did not need distractions, but he also did not need Constantine picking a fight with the Carpathian Prince and the Dark One. "What I have done is completed a blood exchange. It is natural between lifemates."

Mikhail nodded. "It is indeed natural between lifemates. It is natural between _adults_, for only adults may be claimed as lifemates.

"I have taken her blood that I may fight for her," Dominov countered. How could those younglings accuse him of endangering his lifemate?! How could they pretend to understand?!

"Perhaps," Constantine broke in suddenly. "Perhaps not." Dominov rounded on his friend in a manner that suggested no such thing. A snarl formed in his throat, but Constantine's look stopped him. Dominov knew that look. Constantine had found a puzzle, something that no one else had seen, and he was well on his way to solving it. "The vampire harbors inside of her, which we know. But how? He has taken her blood and so he has a direct connection with him that, until now, you had not had. And yet now that have a direct connection with her, you can enter her mind at will, which before the vampire had prevented."

"Yes, as you said, we know this," Gregori said through clenched teeth.

For once, Constantine ignored him. He was wrapped up in thought now, and Dominov knew better than to interrupt him now. "But is Alena is not aware. She was not aware of the vampire's presence and now she is not aware of yours." He paused to give mock sympathy to Dominov. "How unfortunate that you have an empathic lifemate, and not a more telepathic one." Dominov did snarl this time. "Which either means that Alena is simply too inept to be aware of the vampire's presence, or that everything that is happening, is happening in her unconscious mind."

Constantine turned to Dominov and waited expectantly, as though the rest of it were as clear as their vision at night. Dominov frowned. He did not have time for Constantine's games, not when Alena was at stake. Constantine gave an exasperated sigh. "Convert the girl and complete the ritual!"

"That is your big idea?" Gregori drawled. Mikhail gave a mirthless chuckle. "I must say, I was expecting more from the legendary Constantine Tempest."

Constantine was silent. Then, to everyone's surprise, he smirked and turned deliberately towards Gregori. "Well, you see, _Dark One_, converting the girl and completing the ritual will make their bond stronger, giving Dominov more influence in her mind. Perhaps even more influence than the vampire has. But that is not the crucial part. As you can see," he gestured slightly towards Alena, who was still biting her lip and looking confused and terrified beyond all reason, "Dominov simply presenting himself in her mind is not having a profound effect. If anything, it is only hurting her more."

"Are you saying that taking her blood has done nothing?" Dominov's voice was steel.

"I am saying no such thing, brother," Constantine replied smoothly. It seemed nothing could ruffle his cool, calculating exterior. "I am simply saying that there is more to be done yet."

_Then I would appreciate it if you would tell me how I can save my lifemate!_ Dominov roared through the air.

Constantine sniffed, then nodded. "The vampire's power lies in being beyond her knowledge. Because the girl –" Dominov's upper lip curled back in a snarl and Constantine corrected himself, "Alena does not know exactly what happened to her or who abused her, the vampire is able to put anything he wants in her mind. She does not know the difference. She has no concrete connections – nothing explicit for you to fight for - she cannot make the necessary connections on her own so long as the vampire remains in her mind to jumble things. But, if she were able to make a distinction between the vampire and _you_…" He turned to Dominov, whose eyes widened in understanding. "It is my belief that seeing the vampire will break his hold on her. She will then know concretely that you and he are two different people entirely. All she has to do is see him. She sees him, and he cannot win."

There it was. Winning. It was all a game with Constantine. It was always all a game. Something strange seemed to grab hold of Constantine. A dark fire lit his eyes and there was a fervor in his voice as he continued. "It in ingenious, really. So simple and yet so powerful. Why I could not think of it before, I do not know, but I –" He broke off as every eye turned to him in alarm and caution. The fire died quickly and Constantine cleared his throat uncomfortably. The demon was so close.

"Are you certain?" Dominov faltered. Alena was still so hurt and so confused. He had no intention of letting her ever see that vampire again; Dominov would destroy the abomination without causing Alena any more pain. But if it could save Alena from the pain she was in now…

"There is only one way to be certain, brother." Constantine's gaze was steady and sure. Dominov had no other choices.

"How then?" Gregori broke in. He was apparently unwilling to give Constantine the credit his mind was due, but the titan Carpathian only smirked again.

"Music," Constantine replied as though it were so simple that everyone should have known the answer. His condescending manner could be awfully grating. "Is it not true that the girl – that Alena, found you through an exceptional use of music. It seems to me as though she simply reached across the land, found your emotions, and played for you. All of that without so much as a blood bond. Would the same thing not be possible with the vampire? With the strength of a blood bond to go with it?"

_It seems you have thought this through…_ Dominov growled into Constantine's mind.

_I hope you do not mind that I took a few moments to think of your pretty little lifemate. After all, I have so little else to do in my spare time_, Constantine replied in an equally dry manner.

Raven and Savannah were quick to voice alternate opinions. They were not too keen on the idea of bringing Alena face to face with her attacker, but Gregori and Mikhail quieted them shortly. Even the two "ancients" were intrigued by the idea Constantine presented.

Dominov frowned. Alena was watching him. Fear was evident in her eyes and her mind, but she seemed to trust him completely with this. And, of course, there was something so terrifyingly alluring in Constantine's suggestion. With the influence of the vampire gone from her mind, Alena would finally know with certainty what had happened to her.

"She will, of course, be forced to shut her mind off from everyone else entirely and focus completely on the presence of the vampire in her mind. A dangerous task, to be sure." Constantine could not resist adding more danger and pain and risk to the decision.

"It is not my decision to make," Dominov said finally. Indeed, it was not his decision. Only Alena could choose to play for the man who hurt her so. Dominov would certainly never attempt to make her.

Alena's eyes narrowed. She stared at Dominov and bit her lip, but her question was for Constantine. "And I would know?"

"Yes. You would know." Alena sighed, but before her sigh was finished Constantine went on. "There is, of course, a danger that comes with knowledge. Ignorance can be far more pleasurable." _The rest was for Dominov alone. You may want to destroy these memories once they surface. Remembering being raped with knives can hardly be pleasant_.

As Dominov watched Alena, he knew there would be no destroying these memories. It was written in her mind and plastered across her face, her shame and humiliation at not knowing what had happened to her. Knowing that everyone else watched her with pity and sympathy, but not knowing for herself why these looks were there. To not know whether Dominov was betraying her and loving her. She would rather live with the pain than continue living in ignorance.

Swallowing hard, Alena released Dominov's hand and walked over to the piano. She sat at the bench and Dominov could see her fingers trembling. _I love you_, Dominov whispered in her mind one final time before cutting off all contact. It was the hardest thing he had ever done in abnormally long life. Alena bit her lip and paused with her fingers over the keys. "What happens, if he shows up?"

"We keep him from ever harming you again." Shockingly, Constantine and Dominov answered at the same time with the same phrase. Dominov stared at his oldest friend briefly, and could not help but wondering why the man was so involved with this. But Alena was more important now.

Nodding, apparently more to reassure herself than to note their words, Alena closed her eyes and began to play. It was soft at first, a random assortment of cords. Dominov's heart clenched and he wondered if she could find the vampire. Or worse, if the vampire could read the idea in her mind and convince her not to play. Dominov could not, would not, lose Alena.

And then the music took form. It was the beginning of a soft, somber melody that bespoke of pain and something lost within the past. The song flowed unerringly through the air and the night and the souls of everyone in the room. It held the unmistakable theme of love and the overarching theme of loss. And yet, as the minutes passed the song evolved. The somber tone grew progressively darker and more dramatic. Now pain was sewn into the weaving of emotion. Not anger. The notes grew in passion and strength. Alena's body swayed as her fingers danced over the eyes. The song was harsh now. Finally, a heart-stopping violent climax shook the air and then -

The doors to Mikhail's home burst open and Alena's song ended abruptly in harsh, banging notes. Emilian Fane stood in threshold of Mikhail's home. There was a shocked gasp, a violent rush of wind, and a horrifying roar that split the night.

Just as Constantine thought, seeing the vampire broke his power over Alena. Everything Emilian had kept in her unconscious and manipulated against her was let loose in her mind. The reality of what he had done to her. Shock, pain, humiliation, betrayal. The emotions were so strong that they tore the air and nearly overwhelmed every Carpathian there.

Her head and her heart were no longer telling her two different things. Now, they were both telling her of unspeakable evil and pain and despair. And love. Dominov's voice picked up in her mind once more and never faltered. _I love you, Alena. I am here, always. I will never leave you and I will never hurt you. Hold on to me, bella._ Even now, as she fell in on herself as the power of the memories of being in the cabin with the vampire overwhelmed her, some part of Alena knew that Dominov was there. He would always be there. Hold on to his voice.

Despite the hate and anger flowing hotly in Dominov's mind as seeing his tormented brother, Dominov had no time for Emilian now. Alena needed him more. Her, always her. He swept down and gathered her in his arms, reaching out with his mind to contain the memories and emotions spilling out of her. But not before everyone else felt them too. Dominov could feel their stares, their sympathy. He moved his body to shelter Alena from them, from Mikhail and Gregori's anger at the vampire, from Raven and Savannah's pity.

He had to get her out of here. For Alena's sake, for his sanity, for everyone's safety, Dominov had to get Alena away from them and from the stench of evil.

Without hesitation and still trying desperately to hold a wall around her thoughts, Dominov gathered Alena in his arms and prepared to disappear with her into the night. His mind was torn between thoughts or love and despair, and thoughts of rage and death.

Like always, Constantine knew his thoughts a second before Dominov himself did. _No. You are in no condition to hunt vampires this night. You must feed and rest. Take care of your lifemate. Convert her and complete the ritual, and then take care of yourself. Until then, leave the vampire hunting to me_.

Constantine was right and Dominov knew it. Still, that primal darkness in him called for Emilian's immediate destruction. Dominov knew that he would never be satisfied until he burned Emilian's corpse himself. Without a word, Dominov turned to leave with Alena still in his arms.

Constantine did something very surprising. For once, his voice seemed to hold sincerity and concern. _He is your brother. You should not have a hand in his death_.

It was then that Dominov registered what had been so surprising about Emilian's appearance. It had been Constantine who growled and roared in fury, not Dominov.


End file.
